Women's Golf Opens Season with Match in the Desert
Live Scoring | Season Preview | Update from Coach Farr-Kaye | 2021 Schedule Breakdown
TEMPE, Ariz. – The long wait for the Sun Devil Women's Golf team is over, as they are scheduled to open the 2021 season at the Match in the Desert, January 24-25 at Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club in Gold Canyon.
This is the fifth consecutive year that the Sun Devils will compete in this event, which has typically crowned a champion after one day and 18 holes. Arizona State has won all four previous editions, including a victory over host Denver and No. 20 UCLA in January of last year. This year the format changes, as the event will take place over two days, with 36 holes deciding the winner between four teams.
On January 24-25, Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye's team competes against Denver, UCLA, and Arizona. Golf Channel's Preseason No. 4 team in the country will test their skills against some of the top teams in the country right from the start. The tournament is hosted by the University of Denver and is not open to the public in accordance to University COVID-19 policy.
THE FIELD
Arizona State will be joined by two Pac-12 foes in addition to the host school, the University of Denver. UCLA and Arizona are also a part of the Match in the Desert, representing two of the Top-10 teams in Golf Channel's Preseason Spring Power Rankings. The Bruins are the No. 7 team while the Wildcats are slotted at No. 8, both behind No. 4 Arizona State. Denver was picked first in the Preseason Summit League poll and has qualified for the NCAA tournament each of the past 18 seasons.
THE LINEUP
Coach Farr-Kaye will feature a deep and talented lineup all season long, with eight highly-skilled golfers to choose from. For the first tournament of the season, Linn Grant, Olivia Mehaffey, Alessandra Fanali, Alexandra Forsterling, and Amanda Linner are the five golfers to earn a spot in the lineup. Raquel Olmos, Ashley Menne, and Breyana Matthews will compete as individuals, with Menne and Matthews set to make their debuts representing the Maroon & Gold. Here is how the eight Sun Devils will tee-off in the first round on Sunday, January 24:
Alexandra Forsterling – 11:10 AM MST
Amanda Linner – 11:10 AM MST
Linn Grant – 11:20 AM MST
Olivia Mehaffey – 11:20 AM MST
Alessandra Fanali – 11:20 AM MST
Raquel Olmos – 11:40 AM MST
Ashley Menne – 11:40 AM MST
Breyana Matthews – 11:40 AM MST
THE COURSE
The Sun Devil Women's Golf program is familiar with the Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club in Gold Canyon, having competed there each of the previous four seasons. The club features the Prospector and Lost Gold Golf Courses, both designed by Jack Nicklaus and his son. The Prospector Course is a Par-72/7,225 yards course while the Lost Gold is also a Par-72 at 7,351 yards.
HOW TO FOLLOW
Updates will be provided throughout the day on our social media platforms, so make sure to follow our Twitter/Instagram accounts (@SunDevilWGolf) and like our Facebook page (facebook.com/sundevilwgolf/). Scoring for the tournament can be tracked here.