GOLD CANYON, Ariz. – Sun Devil Women’s Golf impressed over the two days of the Match in the Desert, winning the event at Superstition Mountain Golf Club for the fourth consecutive time.
Arizona State (-18/558) fired back-to-back rounds well below par, defeating No. 2 Oklahoma State by five strokes. The 278 (-10) posted by the Maroon & Gold yesterday was the best round by any team at the Match in the Desert while their 280 (-8) today was the second-best. Five Sun Devils finished in the Top-9 of the 42-golfer field, as it was dominating performance from Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye‘s team.
“It was great to begin the Spring with a total team win,” Coach Farr-Kaye remarked. “We have some things to work on before facing a challenging schedule, but we gained a lot of confidence.”
It is the 95th team championship in program history, 16 of which have come in the Farr-Kaye era. The Sun Devils paced a field that included four of the eight finalists at the 2021 NCAA Championship, as they defeated No. 2 Oklahoma State, No. 14 Arizona, No. 15 UCLA, and No. 24 Ole Miss. ASU finished eight-under on par four holes which proved to be the difference, as the next best team only mustered a six-over score on the same opportunities. The Maroon & Gold’s 29 birdies were the second most of any team in the field, while their 31 bogeys were by far the fewest.
Alexandra Forsterling led the way individually, earning a career-best second-place finish. She followed up a career low 66 yesterday with another great round, carding a 69 (-3) to finish the tournament at 135 (-9). She may have missed the individual title by one stroke, but she recorded her fifth-career Top-10 finish. Forsterling was nearly flawless both days, bogeying only two holes compared to nine birdies and an eagle. She was dominant on both par four (3.75) and par five (4.3) holes, finishing with the best scoring average in each category.
The second-highest finishing Sun Devil was freshman Grace Summerhays, who made her Sun Devil debut a memorable one. Joining the team in January, Summerhays wasted no time getting acclimated to the collegiate level. She opened her career with a 71 (-1) yesterday and managed to improve on that, carding a 69 (-3) in only her second round in the Maroon & Gold.
“Grace played excellent in her first tournament, which was no surprise,” Coach Farr-Kaye mentioned. “She has fit right in and gave our team a spark. The friendly competition developing has been exciting to see.”
Displaying a maturity and poise beyond her years, Summerhays avoided mistakes on her way to a one-bogey, four birdie day. She earned a fourth-place finish thanks to a 140 (-4).
“It was so special to get a team win and individual Top-5 to start my college career as a Sun Devil,” Summerhays reflected. “I loved being able to play this event in AZ where I am from. I’m really excited to keep competing and improving with my team this Spring.”
A pair of Sun Devils tied for fifth, as Ashley Menne and Calynne Rosholt shined at the Match in the Desert. Menne delivered a 71 (-1) to finish with a 141 (-3), finishing her final 12 holes at two-under. Her consistent play was shown in her team-high 26 pars, while limiting to only four bogeys. Rosholt was excellent as an individual, registering a team-high 11 birdies. She continues the hot start to her career, already having finished in the Top-10 twice and in the Top-20 in all four events.
Joining the four Sun Devils in the Top-5 is Alessandra Fanali, making five of the Top-9 finishers Sun Devils. She was steady all day, having to only card one bogey. For the second consecutive round, she finished with a 71 (-1), registering her sixth career Top-10 finish. Amanda Linner had several bright spots throughout the two days, highlighted by an incredible stretch in the middle of her round today. She managed to record five birdies in an eight-hole span, finding her rhythm and gaining confidence.
ROAD TO GRAYHAWK
In the second of a three-year run as host, Grayhawk Golf Club will welcome the top men’s and women’s collegiate teams to decide a national champion. The event will be contested on Grayhawk Golf Club’s Raptor course, a par-72, 6,337-yard and broadcasted live on Golf Channel. Sun Devil fans showed their support last year and will have another chance to do so this year should Coach Farr-Kaye’s squad qualify for the NCAA Championship. A veteran of NCAA Championship events, Farr-Kaye recognized that Grayhawk and Arizona State exceeded the standard set by previous hosts.
“We’re really excited we got that extra year back so we get to do the three-year run. I think that the Grayhawk Golf Club and our event management staff in Sun Devil Athletics does a fantastic job. I’ve heard a lot of really good feedback from a lot of coaches and that it felt like a championship and that was the goal all along.”
HOW TO FOLLOW
For the latest updates and information on the Sun Devil Women’s Golf program, follow our Twitter/Instagram accounts (@SunDevilWGolf), like our Facebook page (facebook.com/sundevilwgolf/), and visit our website (thesundevils.com).
UP NEXT
Arizona State gets ready to head to California for the Lamkin Invitational, taking place Feb. 14-15, 2022. Two rounds of 18 holes will be completed on the first day, before the championship is decided in one round on the final day. San Diego State hosts the event at The Farms Golf Club.
2022 Arizona State Women’s Golf Remaining Schedule
Lamkin Invitational – February 14-15, 2022 (Rancho Santa Fe, California)
Darius Rucker Intercollegiate – February 28 – March 2, 2022 (Hilton Head Island, South Carolina)
Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge – March 13-15, 2022 (Palos Verdes, California)
PING/ASU Invitational – March 25-27, 2022 (Phoenix, Arizona)
Silverado Showdown – April 4-6, 2022 (Napa, California)
Pac-12 Championship – April 18-20, 2022 (Eugene, Oregon)
NCAA Regionals – May 9-11, 2022 (Albuquerque/Ann Arbor/Stillwater/Tallahassee)
NCAA Championship – May 20-25, 2022 (Scottsdale, Arizona)
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