News Summary
The Arizona State University women’s golf team made a strong impression at the NCAA Regionals, taking an early lead at Superstition Mountain Golf Club with a score of 2-under 286. Led by standout performances from Isla McDonald-O’Brien and Patience Rhodes, the Sun Devils are positioned for a chance at the NCAA Championships later this month. ASU’s head coach highlights potential for improvement as they look to maintain their advantage heading into the next round.
Apache Junction, Arizona – The Arizona State University (ASU) women’s golf team has taken an impressive early lead at the NCAA Regionals held at Superstition Mountain Golf Club. After a strong first-round performance, the Sun Devils shot a collective score of 2-under 286, positioning them ahead of the competition as they aim for a spot in the NCAA Championships later this month.
Following the initial round of play, ASU sits at the top of the leaderboard with Oklahoma State trailing closely behind at 1-under 287. The University of Oregon and Auburn University are tied for third with one-over par scores of 289. The top five teams from this regional will advance to the NCAA Championships scheduled for May 16-21 in Carlsbad, California.
ASU’s stellar performance was highlighted by standout individual rounds. Isla McDonald-O’Brien and Patience Rhodes both turned in scores of 2-under 70, placing them in a tie for third overall. McDonald-O’Brien recorded the most birdies of any golfer on the first day, with a total of five, while Rhodes added three birdies to her scorecard. Meanwhile, Paula Schulz-Hanssen finished with a score of 71 (-1), which earned her a tie for 11th place. ASU’s Beth Coulter and Grace Summerhays both contributed with scores of 74 (+2), landing them in a tie for 21st place.
All five members of the ASU team finished the day ranked in the top 21, making them the only team to achieve this successful outcome. In total, ASU registered 14 birdies during the first round, the highest number among all participating teams.
Despite the strong showing, head coach Missy Farr-Kaye acknowledged that there were opportunities for even better scores, indicating the potential for improvement as the tournament progresses. As they move into the second round, ASU will be paired with Oklahoma State and Auburn, starting from Hole 1 at 8 AM MST.
In terms of scoring averages, ASU led the field in par-four scoring while also placing second in par-three scoring and third in par-five scoring averages. McDonald-O’Brien excelled with the second-best par-three scoring average and was tied for the best on the par-fives. Additionally, Rhodes showcased her skills with the fourth-best par-four scoring average.
ASU’s performance is particularly noteworthy given the rankings of the competing teams. While ASU entered the tournament ranked 8th, their closest competitors, Oklahoma State, held a 29th ranking, Auburn was 17th, Oregon was 5th, and Mississippi State was 20th. The Sun Devils displayed their capability to challenge higher-ranked teams, underscoring their potential as the tournament advances.
As the ASU women’s golf team prepares for their next round, they maintain their focus on securing one of the qualifying spots for the NCAA Championships, hoping to draw on their strong first-round momentum. The anticipation builds as the team’s strategy and execution will be put to the test once again on the course.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
Additional Resources
- California Golden Bears
- Wikipedia: Women’s Golf
- Navy Midshipmen
- Google Search: women’s golf NCAA regional
- Arizona State Sun Devils
- Google Scholar: women’s golf tournament
- Mississippi State Bulldogs
- Encyclopedia Britannica: women’s golf history
- Oklahoma State Cowgirls
- Google News: women’s golf
