ASU Women’s Golf Looking for Strong Start in Season Opener

(Photo: Sun Devil Athletics)

The Arizona State women’s golf team will tee off its season this weekend at the Mason Rudolph Championship at the Vanderbilt Legends Club in Franklin, TN. 

The Sun Devils come into this season with high expectations and a No. 15 preseason ranking from the Golf Channel. With the 10 year anniversary of their last national championship approaching, Miss Farr-Kaye’s squad is hoping this can be the start of another magical run. 

This the fourth consecutive year the ASU women will be competing in the Mason Rudolph Championship. They’ll be looking for their first win after placing 4th in 2025 and 2023 and 5th at the tournament in 2024. 

The ASU golfers competing in team play this weekend include fifth-year Patience Rhodes, second-year Amelia Wan, second-year Kate Dillon, second-year Fai Rubrong and first year Natalia Aparicio. Third-year Isabella Cioe will compete independently. 

Two of the golfers from the Sun Devil’s lineup have previous experience in this tournament. 

Rhodes, the 2025-26 Big 12 Player of the Year, shot a +1 last year, including a 68 in the final round, to earn a tie for 13th place. In 2024, Rhodes finished in fifth place, shooting 10-under par. 

Golfweek named Rhodes a preseason Second-Team All-American. The England native also earned a spot on the watch list for the ANNIKA Award, given annually to the top female Division I collegiate golfer. 

Dillon made her tournament debut last year at the Vanderbilt Legends Club and finished 12 over par. She appeared in 31 rounds last season and scored a 72.5 on average in 11 tournaments. Her best finish came at the Wyoming Cowgirl Classic where she came in second place. 

In her first year in the program, Rubrong appeared in eight tournaments and earned three top-15 finishes. Her best finish came at the PING/ASU Invitational where she finished 7-under at ASU’s home course in Phoenix. 

Wan is a newcomer for the Sun Devils after transferring from Baylor in the off-season. She competed in 30 rounds for the Bears last year and earned two top-15 finishes. 

Natalia Aparacio begins her Sun Devils golf career after being the No. 15-ranked recruit in last year’s signing class. She has 18 top-10 finishes in her amateur career, including a win at the Italian Girls U18 National Championship. 

The Sun Devils will face some stiff competition this weekend, as both the team winner and individual winner from last year are returning. Vanderbilt earned the team win last year at its home course, combining for a score of -10. 

Mississippi State’s Sam Whateley was last year’s individual winner, scoring nine-under-par. Whateley’s performance helped her Bulldogs earn second-place team finish. 

The North Carolina Tar Heels, who came in third place a season ago, are also returning and will look to challenge the Sun Devils at the top of the leaderboard. 

The Mason Rudolph Championship is played on the south course at Vanderbilt Legends Club. The course features a 71 total par and measures 6,390 yards. Teams will tee off the first and 10th holes to open each round. 

The five ASU golfers competing in team play will tee off Friday morning between 6:30 and 7:10 a.m MST. 

The Sun Devils could make a big statement to open their season if they come home with a win when the action wraps up on Sunday. 

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