Women's Golf Opens Season at ANNIKA
TEMPE, Ariz. - Sun Devil Women's Golf opens the 2021-22 season with a trip to Minnesota, competing at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate Sept. 13-15 at Royal Golf Club.
"We are looking forward to an exciting tournament to open our season, the ANNIKA does a great job of hosting some of the best teams in the nation together for a Fall tournament," Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye remarked. "I am excited to see how our lineup responds to the pressure and who steps up to carry us early in the season. I really believe in all five we have participating and can't wait to coach them."
THE FIELD
Arizona State was ranked as high as No. 8 in the national preseason polls, earning the nod from the WGCA. They are joined in the ANNIKA Intercollegiate by several members of that poll, with 12 of the top teams in the country gunning for early season bragging rights. A total of seven Top-10 and ten Top-16 teams will make their way to Minnesota, as No. 2 Duke, No. 3 Wake Forest, No. 4 LSU, No. 6 Ole Miss, No. 7 Texas, and No. 10 South Carolina will present formidable opponents for the Sun Devils. No. 11 USC, No. 13 Arizona, No. 16 UCLA, and No. 26 Alabama are also in the field, with host Minnesota representing the only non Top-30 team in one of the deepest fields of the Fall.
THE LINEUP
Coach Farr-Kaye has once again constructed a stacked lineup 1-5, with high-caliber golfers at each slot. After rigorous qualifying efforts, an order was finally determined for the first tournament. Senior Alessandra Fanali earns the No. 1 slot and will tee-off last for the Sun Devils. Junior Amanda Linner slots in at the No. 2 spot after a promising finish to last season, looking to continue her momentum. A sign of the depth of the Arizona State roster, the fourth-place finisher at last year's NCAA Championships Ashley Menne will play out of the No. 3 spot. Making her Sun Devil debut as the No. 4, Calynne Rosholt has wasted no time making her way into the lineup as a true freshman. Senior Alexandra Forsterling is going tee-off first for the Sun Devils as the fifth qualifier for the Maroon & Gold. Here is a look at when the Sun Devils will begin their rounds:
ANNIKA Intercollegiate Tee Times (MST):
Alessandra Fanali, 7:35 am (Hole 10)
Amanda Linner, 7:25 am (Hole 10)
Ashley Menne, 7:15 am (Hole 10)
Calynne Rosholt, 7:05 am (Hole 10)
Alexandra Forsterling 6:55 am (Hole 10)
THE COURSE
The ANNIKA Intercollegiate will be hosted by the University of Minnesota at the Royal Golf Club in Lake Elmo, Minnesota for the third time. The par-72, 6,410-yard course is 18-holes, however the front and back nine are distinct. The first nine holes were designed by Annika Sorenstam and are known as the Queen's Nine. The back nine holes are known as the King's Nine and were designed Arnold Palmer. The venture was Palmer's last project and Sorenstam's first in the U.S.
HISTORY AT THE ANNIKA INTERCOLLEGIATE
This will be the Sun Devils fourth appearance in the event, last participating in 2019. Linn Grant led the way finishing tied for eight, while ASU placed fourth as a team among a loaded field at one of the most prestigious tournaments of the season. The Maroon & Gold ended up ahead of several talented teams in the standings at the end of the three-day event, including No. 1 USC, No. 2 Duke, No. 6 UCLA, and No. 12 Arizona. Just missing a spot in the Top-10 was Alexandra Forsterling (-1/215), who ended the tournament one stroke behind Grant for the best score on the team. Alessandra Fanali recorded her first collegiate hole-in-one in the first round at the very same Royal Golf Club, doing so on the 16th hole with a 5 iron.
Arizona State also competing back in 2014 & 2016 when the tournament was in Orlando. During the 2016 ANNIKA Intercollegiate, Linnea Strom recorded one of her 20 career Top-10 individual finishes, earning a tie for eighth. Back in 2014, Noemi Jiminez put together a strong performance, finishing in the Top-5 of the individual race.
HOW TO FOLLOW
You can track the scores of your favorite Sun Devils on Golfstat at the following link. Stay tuned to our social media platforms (@SunDevilWGolf) and our website (thesundevils.com) for the latest information and updates after each day of the tournament. For more behind-the-scenes coverage, follow the ANNIKA Foundation twitter page (@ANNIKA_Fdn).