Women's Golf Moves Into Second at Pac-12 Championship

STANFORD, Calif. – Sun Devil Women's Golf showed huge improvement on day two at the Pac-12 Women's Golf Championship at Stanford Golf Course.
 
Arizona State (+6/570) moved into second place after 36 holes, jumping host Stanford and cutting into USC's lead. ASU now trails by only four strokes heading into the final day, with Stanford right behind in third place. Three Sun Devils moved up at least nine spots thanks to excellent adjustments. With a Territorial Cup Series point on the line, Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye's team leads Arizona by two strokes.
 
Five of the 10 teams competing are +24 or more, with the golf course continuing to present challenges. The Sun Devils were not fazed, carding the best round of the day, the only team under par. ASU has a chance to make up even more ground paired with first-place USC, as they tee-off every ten minutes on hole one starting at 9:40 AM.
 
"We are the only team that broke par today," Coach Farr-Kaye remarked. "I am very proud of this team and their fight to come back and play a great round today.  Tomorrow will be exciting and we look forward to competing for the Pac-12 Championship!"
 
ASU improved their team score by eight strokes, matching USC's first round for the best of the tournament. Coach Farr-Kaye's team had a great approach on par four, with their 4.20 stroke average tied for the best of any team. The Maroon & Gold's 28 birdies are the second most of any team. Arizona State managed to correct themselves on the front nine after struggling yesterday, improving their score by 13 strokes.
 
1          USC                            283      287       570     +2
2          Arizona State             291      283       574     +6
3          Stanford                      289      286       575     +7
 
Sophomore Amanda Linner has embraced the pressure of a championship run, putting together another strong round today. She shot a 71 (E) and is in sole possession of third place, just two strokes back of leader Emma Spitz from UCLA. Linner is looking to become the second consecutive and 14 Sun Devil overall to win Conference Individual Medalist honors.
 
She had a strong front nine effort, finishing one under with three birdies. Linner's success on par three and par four opportunities is a big reason why she is in contention, currently top five in scoring average in both cases. Her nine birdies are tied for the second most of anyone in the field.
 
1          Emma Spitz               UCLA             68         68       136      -6
2          Rachel Heck              Stanford          68         69       137      -5
3          Amanda Linner        Arizona State  67         71       138      -4
T4        YuSang Hou              Arizona           71         68       139      -3
T4        Amelia Garvey           USC                67         72       139      -3
6          Malia Nam                  USC                68         72       140      -2
T7        Linn Grant                Arizona State  73         69       142      E
 
Reigning Pac-12 Golfer of the Month Linn Grant made a big move up the leaderboard, jumping into the Top-10. Grant climbed nine spots and into a tie for seventh, where she sits six strokes back of the lead. A second consecutive day with a bogey-free back nine allowed her to shoot 69 (-2), tied for the third-best round of the day. Grant's 26 pars are the second most in the field and her 4.63 average on par five holes is a team-low.
 
Alessandra Fanali was a big reason why the Sun Devils rose to second place, as she moved up 12 spots on the leaderboard. Fanali's consistent play allowed her to improve her score by four strokes and earn a tie for 12th.
 
Matching Fanali in climbing 12 spots on the leaderboard was Ashley Menne, who trimmed five strokes off her score. Menne is now tied for 20th, giving Arizona State four of the current Top-20.
 
Arizona State will begin the third round of the Pac-12 Women's Golf Championship tomorrow, starting at 9:40 AM PT. The Maroon & Gold will be paired with USC, as the two teams battle for the Pac-12 Championship. Here is how the Sun Devils will tee-off tomorrow:
 
Amanda Linner – 10:20 AM (Hole 1)
Linn Grant – 10:10 AM (Hole 1)
Alessandra Fanali – 10:00 AM (Hole 1)
Ashley Menne– 9:50 AM (Hole 1)
Alexandra Forsterling – 9:40 AM (Hole 1)
 
HOW TO FOLLOW
Highlights from the first three rounds of the Women's Golf Championships will be available the evening after rounds complete on Pac-12 Networks, Pac-12 Now app, Pac-12.com and Pac-12 social media platforms.
 
The Pac-12 Women's Golf Championship Show will air on Pac-12 Network on Monday, April 26, at 8 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. MT to highlight the final round as well as memorable moments from throughout the championship event.
 
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). Track your favorite Sun Devil with live scoring provided at the following link.
 
HISTORY AT THE PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIP
No team has enjoyed more success at the Pac-10/12 Women's Golf Championships than Arizona State. Their 13 individual champions are six more than any other team, while their eight team championships are tied for first. Most recently, Olivia Mehaffey claimed the 2019 Individual Championship and is the reigning Pac-12 Champion. The Sun Devils last one as a team back in 2009 on their way to the program's seventh of eight NCAA Championships, with Coach Farr-Kaye serving as an Assistant Coach that year.
 
Legendary Sun Devil Women's Golf Head Coach Linda Vollstedt could be considered the queen of the Pac-10/12 Championships. Her teams won it a total of six times, including the first two in 1987 & 1988. Later in her career, Arizona State ran off four straight titles during their dominant run in the mid-90s, a feat that has never been matched since. ASU has two Top-3 finishes at the conference championships under Coach Farr-Kaye, finishing third in 2016 & 2019.