In sports, playing at home gives the host team a decisive advantage. The home team has a rhythm, while visiting teams are not in their regular routine.
For golfers, the home players and coaches know the details of the course — where the bunkers sink, the hazards lie and the elevations of the greens change.
The No. 8 ASU women’s golf team fell victim to UA’s significant home-course advantage in the Wildcat Invitational at the Vistoso Golf Club in Tucson.
ASU finished in third place behind No. 1 UCLA and No. 22 UA and finished 20 strokes over par.
“Our goal was to finish top-three,” coach Melissa Luellen said. “We did that, but I know the girls felt like they left a lot of shots out there.”
UA proved they were very familiar with their own course, blowing out the field. They defeated top-ranked UCLA by 12 strokes and ASU by 33.
After the first day, the Sun Devils were in contention for the lead, trailing by six strokes.
However, a decisive second day from the Wildcats and a strong performance from the Bruins entrenched ASU into the third position of the invitational heading into the final day.
UA’s top four golfers shot 14-under par on the par-72 course during the second day of competition, while ASU slipped and shot 8-over.
The rest of the 14-team field placed well behind ASU. Fourth place Colorado finished 21 strokes behind ASU.
Senior Giulia Molinaro was the Sun Devils’ top finisher at 3-over par, placing eighth out of 79 individual competitors in the invitational.
“What I enjoy watching from Giulia (was), she didn’t really play all that great, and yet she still finished high in the tournament,” Luellen said.
Sophomore Daniela Ordonez finished right behind her at 7-over in 12th place. Freshman Noemi Jimenez was just one stroke behind Ordonez and sophomore Laura Blanco, who played inconsistently throughout the tournament, was three strokes back.
“Sometimes when you start off a tournament under par and in good condition, you get excited and you get ahead of yourself,” Luellen said. “I think she learned an important lesson about staying in the moment.”
Blanco golfed two strong rounds, but also shot a round she’d like to forget. Blanco shot 1-under par on day one, but responded with an 82 in the second round.
“It was like a roller-coaster to me,” Blanco said. “I started pretty strong the first day, but then (had) a lack of confidence the next.”
Luellen talked with Blanco after her day two performance and helped regain her morale.
“I had a quick chat with coach after my second round and I knew my team needed me, so I just pulled myself up again,” Blanco said.
On day three, Blanco picked up where she left off on day one and finished 1-over par.
Golf is a difficult sport to play at a consistent level with all the variable factors.
“It’s a pretty hard game,” Luellen said. “We’re playing outside in the elements. When you’re on a basketball court, your parameters are very consistent. The great players are the ones that manage all the different parameters.”
Reach the reporter at jmjanss1@asu.edu
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