Tag: Ashley Menne

NCAA champ Adela Cernousek shoots 66 at LPGA Qualifying; transgender golfer Hailey Davidson improves after 69

The top 35 and ties after four rounds advance to December’s Final Qualifying.

Isi Gabsa didn’t want to admit it, but she reckons this is probably her 10th trip to LPGA Qualifying School. The 29-year-old German has been there enough to know the goal is always to win at the no-cut event.

The top 35 and ties after four rounds at Plantation Golf and Country Club advance to December’s Final Qualifying. Gabsa carded a 5-under 67 on Wednesday to sit two strokes behind a trio at 9 under that includes two amateurs.

“I think it was just one of those days where the bad shots just end up in a good spot,” said Gabsa of her bogey-free day on the Panther Course.

Texas A&M’s Adela Cernousek, who won the NCAA Championship last spring, carded a 66 on the Panther Course that included two bogeys. Cernousek holds a share of seventh at the midway point, three behind the leaders. She has Stacy Lewis’ father, Dale Lewis, on the bag this week in Venice, Florida. The two-time major winner and victorious Solheim Cup captain is married to A&M head coach Gerrod Chadwell.

LPGA Q-Series: Qualifying stage leaderboard

Cernousek, one of 19 amateurs in the field, will have to turn professional to participate in Final Qualifying, should she advance.

“I didn’t really set any goals,” said the Frenchwoman. “Just try to do my best and see what happens at the end of this week.”

2024 U.S. Women's Open
Adela Cernousek hits a tee shot on the 10th hole during the second round of the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open. (Photo: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports)

UCLA’s senior Zoe Campos, who is also playing this week as an amateur, holds a share of the lead at 9 under alongside fellow amateur Ashley Menne and Roberta Liti. Both Campos and Menne, who wrapped up her collegiate career at Arizona State last spring, carded 67s. Liti followed an opening 66 with a 69.

Other notables include former Wake Forest standout Rachel Kuehn, who moved up the leaderboard to a share of 33rd after a second-round 70. Former Solheim Cup player Matilda Castren vaulted up after a 68 to a share of 28th.  Former USC standout Amari Avery shot 69-71 and is T-19.

Transgender golfer Hailey Davidson followed an opening 78 on the Panther Course with a 69 on the Bobcat. Davidson moved from 171st after Round 1 to 108th.

All players who complete four rounds at Plantation will receive Epson Tour status. Davidson would be the second transgender golfer to earn status on the developmental circuit. Bobbi Lancaster earned status in 2013 through Stage I of LPGA Q-School but never actually competed in a official event.

Hosts Arizona State use ‘birdie goal’ to climb into contention at women’s NCAA Championship

“When you feel that you can make birdies, you don’t worry about a bogey here or a bad shot.”

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Coaches have different tactics to motivate their players.

After the Arizona State women made just nine birdies in the first round of the 2022 NCAA Div. I Women’s Golf Championship – well off the mark of their usual 18-20 – Missy Farr-Kaye decided to pull out the big guns for Saturday’s second round: dessert. The Sun Devils had a “birdie goal” of 20 they had to meet, which they achieved on the last hole of the day.

The reward? Ice cream.

“It gets them in that mode of being aggressive and assertive,” explained Farr-Kaye. “When you feel that you can make birdies, you don’t worry about a bogey here or a bad shot. It changed our whole tone.”

Leaderboards: Team | Individual

That it did. ASU was in 16th place out of 24 teams after the first round and now sit T-8 with USC at 16 over following Saturday’s round of 2 over as a team. The Sun Devils were led by sophomore Ashley Menne, who shot a 4-under 68, which tied Texas’ Bohyun Park, Oklahoma State’s Maddison Hinson-Tolchard and San Jose State’s Natasha Andrea Oon and Kajsa Arwefjall for the low round of the day.

“Everything just felt better today, my driver and putting was really good. The weather really made a difference,” said Menne. “Yesterday was gusting like 20-mph winds and it was hot and pace of play was just not it. Just everything today was awesome. I think my team also played really great. We had good energy throughout the entire round.”

Despite playing for the host school, the Surprise, Arizona, native doesn’t feel any pressure as Grayhawk hosts for the second of three years.

“Honestly, this year feels almost more relaxed than last year. I think everything’s kind of settled in a bit and people are used to having it in Arizona,” explained Menne. “I don’t know, it feels like home for me, too. I’m not really honestly phased. It almost doesn’t feel like a tournament, that sounds crazy, but it’s true.”

Stanford leads at 5 over, followed by Oregon at 9 over. On Sunday the field gets whittled from 24 to 15 teams.

[listicle id=778073458]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01es6rjnsp3c84zkm6 player_id=01evcfxp4q8949fs1e image=https://golfweek.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]