Not even a new venue could stop Ashley Menne’s winning ways at the Golfweek West Coast Junior Open. Menne, a recent graduate of Xavier College Prep who is headed to Arizona State in the fall, logged her third win in the last four years at this event, but this time did it at Ak-Chin Resort’s Southern Dunes in Maricopa, Arizona.
By the third hole of the 36-hole event, Menne, of Surprise, Arizona, was already 2 under par. She drained a 20-footer for birdie at the second hole and was off and running.
Final scores: Golfweek West Coast Junior Open
“This year at Southern Dunes, the course is a little shorter. I would say this course is a little more open compared to Mesa Country Club, which is tree-lined.
“No matter what, even if you do get it on the green, you still have to make the putt. That’s what I felt like I was doing this week. I was making a lot of good putts.”
Menne posted rounds of 65-68 at Ak-Chin Southern Dunes. At 11 under, she was five shots ahead of runner-up Leigh Chien. Kiara Romero landed in third at even par.
With much of the golf world on hold, Menne has gotten in competitive reps in-state on the Cactus Tour, a mini-tour.
“I used to play them when I was in eighth grade, and I just recently got back into it,” she said. “I’m done with school and have the time.”
Most of those events happen on weekdays, which normally prevented her from entering.
This time next year, if all goes according to plan, Menne will be competing just down the road at Grayhawk Golf Club, where Arizona State is hosting the NCAA Championships for the next two years. The national championship should have been underway this week, but was canceled because of COVID-19. Menne thinks she probably would have been there watching.
Short game is a strength for Menne, who stands 5 feet, 3 inches tall and says she looks forward to gaining strength in college that will hopefully amount to added distance. She’s ready for the whole college experience.
“I’m really excited to get better and be around better golfers and the atmosphere of team golf,” she said. “I think it’s going to be a good experience.”
After Sunday’s Golfweek victory, Menne was headed to the airport to board a plane for the Midwest. She will tee it up at the Dye Junior Invitational next week in what will be her first trip to Indiana. Past that, Menne isn’t sure what competition the summer will bring. She plans to tee it up in a few American Junior Golf Association events and continue to play in her home state.
The U.S. Girls’ Junior came off the calendar last month or Menne would have tried to qualify for that event for the fifth straight time. It was disappointing to see it canceled in her final summer as a junior golfer, but not devastating.
“Having no golf tournaments is really a first-world problem with coronavirus going on,” she said. “I’m just glad to not have it, I’m glad most of Americans are fine and healthy.”
In the boys division of the Golfweek West Coast Junior, Anawin Pikulthong had rounds of 69-64 to finish at 11 and pick up a seven-shot win. The closing 64 was his lowest round to date in competition.
“I did not think I would come out here and shoot 64 after not practicing that much,” Pikulthong said, considering a lack of competitive reps of late.
“I’ve just been practicing as much as I can,” he said of how he’s spent the past few weeks. “Golf is considered an essential business here in Arizona so I’ve just been getting the chance to go around and hit balls, play a few holes every day.”
Pikulthong will be a sophomore in high school in the fall, but the Gilbert, Arizona, resident has already verbally committed to Arizona State. He credited his win on Sunday with solid shots and putting.
“It was really the putting today that got me this low,” he said.
Aidan Goldstein was second with rounds of 72-70 that got him to 2 under with Ethan Dezzani finishing third at even par.