Golfers need time off between tournaments to mentally recharge from the highs and lows of the game.
After less than a week off, the ASU women’s golf team is back in action at the Northrop Grumman Invitational in Palos Verdes Estates, Calif., from Feb. 13-15.
Coach Melissa Luellen said the five-day window between tournaments was “pretty quick.”
In their brief break from tournament play, Luellen said the Sun Devils specifically worked on their short game.
“We went to Desert Highlands (Friday) to practice on their putting course,” Luellen said. “They worked on putting over the short amount of time they had off.”
The field in the Northrop Grumman Invitational contains competitive teams across the board. All 15 schools competing are ranked in Golfweek’s top 50 heading into the spring golf season.
Luellen said ASU wants to finish in the top three of the final standings in this strong field.
“Last year, we finished second in the tournament,” Luellen said. “The girls love this course. I think a top three (finish) would be a very good goal.”
ASU will bring the same starting five golfers as last week, and freshman Emilie Alonso will again compete as an individual.
The last time Alonso competed as an individual, she played on a different part of the course than her teammates.
Luellen was not able to see Alonso on the course in the freshman’s first invitational with the Sun Devils.
At the Wildcat Invitational, the Sun Devils shot too many double and triple bogeys for their liking.
The starting five for ASU had 11 combined double and triple bogeys on the tournament’s final two days.
Any time a golfer does worse than a bogey on any particular hole, it can mess with their psyche and put a crooked number on their scorecard.
Freshman Laura Blanco had two double and two triple bogeys during the second day of ASU’s last invitational.
However, she collected herself between the second and third day and rebounded to shoot just one-over par on the final day.
Senior Giulia Molinaro didn’t play her best in the Wildcat Invitational but managed to finish in the top 15 for the fifth time this year.
Reach the reporter at jmjanss1@asu.edu
