The ASU woman's golf team looks for its first victory of the spring before a home crowd this weekend at the PING/ASU Invitational.
Led by the nation's top-rated colligate golfer, freshman Louise Stahle, the Sun Devils are favored in the tournament, which begins today at ASU's par 72, 6,230-yard Karsten Golf Course.
Stahle recently competed in the LPGA Safeway Open, held at local Superstition Mountain Country Club. She finished tied for 37th at 2-over par 290.
Stahle and 15-year-old sensation Michelle Wie were the only amateurs to make the cut. After a 3-over par 75 to open the tournament, Stahle buckled down with two of her final three rounds under par.
Senior Erin Tone and junior Alissa Kuczka will anchor the young, yet experienced team that has finished in the top five in all but one of its seven tournaments this season.
Sophomore Tiffany Tavee is riding high after finishing tied for 10th at the Longhorn Invitational last month in Austin, Texas. Fellow sophomore Charmaine Erasmus also gets a spot in the starting five.
Senior Nicole Deacon, sophomore Lindsay Anderson and freshmen Brook Todare will compete as individuals in the tournament.
The No. 7 Sun Devils will contend with a field that includes intrastate rivals UA and NAU, in addition to defending national champion UCLA and No. 5 Pepperdine.
Thirteen of the 17 teams participating in the tournament are currently ranked in the top 35 in the Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index.
Last year, ASU finished 11th in its home tournament. Tone was the Sun Devils' top placer with a tie for 18th.
Reach the reporter at mark.saxon@asu.edu.
