History Made: Sun Devil Women's Golf Sets New Record

KAILUA-KONA, Haw. - Sun Devil Women's Golf made history on Monday, setting a new record in the first round of the Pac-12 Preview at Nanea Golf Club.

Arizona State jumped out to a lead as a team thanks to a 275 (-17), the lowest 18 hole score vs. par in program history. Head Coach MIssy Farr-Kaye's team had the perfect approach to the par-73 course today, breaking a record held by the 2017 National Championship team. The Maroon & Gold had 27 birdies and leads No. 1 Stanford by five strokes after day one of the Pac-12 Preview.

Ashley Menne led the way with a historic performance of her own, adding another record to her growing resume as a Sun Devil. Menne matched herself in shooting the third-lowest 18 hole score vs. par in program history, carding a 66 (-7) on her way to earning a tie for the lead after the first 18 holes. Menne paced the Sun Devils, who used a balanced effort to prove they belong in the discussion as one of the best teams in the Pac-12 Conference.

Beth Coulter and Grace Summerhays each delivered masterful performances in support of Menne, allowing Arizona State to build a solid lead in the team standings. They are both tied for fifth after finishing with a 68 (-5), combining for a total of 13 birdies. Coulter and Summerhays sit just two strokes back of their teammate Menne for the overall lead, as three of the Top-5 in the individual standings are Sun Devils. Calynne Rosholt ensured it would be a program record with several clutch moments on the course, including an eagle on the par four first hole. The team returns to action tomorrow with a chance to build on their lead starting at 10:30 AM MST at the Pac-12 Preview.

ROUND BREAKDOWN
All five Sun Devils were clearly prepared for the shotgun start that took place at 10:30 AM MST this morning. Despite the fact they were spread out on the course - they were on the same mission - get off to a strong start. They did exactly that, as the birdies came early and often. Ashley Menne set the tone with an incredible start, as she remained near the top of the leaderboard the entire day. Menne was flawless over her first 13 holes, going six-under and consistently converting on birdie chances. She bounced back from her lone bogey to finish the final four holes at two-under, capping off an incredible 66 (-7). 

Menne was not the only Sun Devil that began the Pac-12 Preview with a statement, as freshman Beth Coulter had an incredible day. She was locked in right from the start, going four-under over her first 12 holes without a bogey. She made up for the only bogey on her card by finishing the final five holes at two-under, ending the day with a 68 (-5). She is tied for fifth in the individual standings with her teammate Grace Summerhays (-5/68), who was equally brilliant in the first round. Summerhays was cruising through 12 holes at one-under, but she turned it up a notch over the final six holes. She birdied four of her final five holes, including a three-hole stretch from 5-7. She is the first Sun Devil this season to birdie three consecutive holes. 

It was a team effort that helped the Sun Devils earn the top spot on the leaderboard, as contributions came from throughout the lineup. Calynne Rosholt showed flashes of strong play in the round, highlighted by an eagle on the par four first hole. She completed the 382-yard set up in only two shots, one of only four eagles on the day at the Pac-12 Preview. Rosholt sits at even (73) and in the Top-25 after the first 18 holes. Paula Schulz-Hanssen looks to build on the success she had during a five-hole stretch in the middle of her round, as she birdied three holes as she made the turn from 15 to 1. 

QUOTABLES
Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye
"We are so proud of the grind and grit this team showed today. We have struggled in our first round this fall and today we broke through in a major way.  Our goal was 15 birdies today and we blew that away with 27 birdies and an eagle. Starting the first day on the road with this strong strength of field is what we have been working for all fall.  We are looking forward to tomorrow. Forks Up!"

Freshman Beth Coulter
On how she got off to such a strong start
"I actually probably started on what I thought was the tougher holes today. It was nice to get 7-9 out of the way early and not when I was tired. I knew if I could get through those holes, the birdie opportunities would open up a bit for me if I stayed patient on the back. I hit a lot of good shots close today and missed some short putts so I'm really excited for tomorrow to maybe see a few more drop."

On why she was able to adjust to the course so well
"I love the course. I felt comfortable playing the course yesterday and we set our goals last night and aimed for them today. They are probably the nicest fairways and greens I've played on. We had a great practice round yesterday we were focused and learned a lot. We had a great caddy and both Coach Estill and Coach Farr-Kaye have been here a lot of times and know the course really well and offer us all of their knowledge. The older girls are great to us. They help us out a lot with everything and especially here where you have to pay attention on the greens where the water and the mountains are for the break."

On helping the team earn the lead after one round
"It's great. We've had some tough starts this fall, so it was nice that we were able to be in first gear today and not tomorrow. Hopefully tomorrow we can build on today and we will see where that leaves us in the afternoon."

NOTABLES

• Arizona State's team score of 275 (-17) was the best 18 hole score vs. par in program history, eclipsing the previous record of 272 (-16) set back at the 2017 NCAA Regional.
• Ashley Menne shot a 66 (-7), tied for the third-best 18 hole score vs. par in program history. She had already accomplishing the feat earlier in her career, as she finished with a 65 (-7) in the third round of the 2021 NCAA Championship.
• Three of the Top-5 golfers in the individual standings are Sun Devils.
• Arizona State's 27 birdies were by far the most in the field, with the next closest team settling for 22. Ashley Menne had eight birdies, the most of any golfer in the field. Grace Summerhays finished right behind her with seven birdies.

TEAM STANDINGS
 

INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS
 

UP NEXT
Arizona State will begin the second round of the Stanford Intercollegiate tomorrow afternoon at 12:55 PM MST.

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). Live scoring throughout the tournament can be found here.