Arizona State Women's Golf Wins Nanea Invitational

Arizona State Women’s Golf Wins Nanea Invitational

by

Arizona State University’s women’s golf team captured the Nanea Invitational title on October 27, 2026, finishing at 33-under (843) to secure a seven-stroke victory over UCLA and Stanford. The Sun Devils entered the final day tied with both programs but pulled away with a 12-under (280) closing round at the Nanea Golf Club in Kailua-Kona, Hawai’i.

This win marks the program’s 102nd team title since 1982 and the first victory for the Sun Devils since the 2025 PING/ASU Invitational. For head coach Missy Farr-Kaye, the trophy represents her 22nd team title at Arizona State. ASU has not defeated Stanford in a stroke-play tournament since the 2023 ASU/PING Invitational, marking a change in momentum.

Kate Dillon and Patience Rhodes rewrite the record books

The victory was fueled by a historic performance from sophomore Kate Dillon. Dillon shot a 64 (-9) in the final round, featuring seven birdies and one eagle without a single bogey. That round stands as the lowest of the entire tournament and is tied for the second-lowest round in ASU program history. Dillon’s 12-stroke turnaround on Tuesday propelled her 16 spots up the leaderboard to a third-place finish at 11-under (208).

While Dillon provided the spark, fifth-year Patience Rhodes provided the steady hand. Rhodes finished as the runner-up at 14-under (205), a score that ties her with Ashley Menne for the lowest individual score in program history. Rhodes’ consistency was staggering; she went bogey-free for 37 holes, starting from the 12th hole of the first round through the 6th hole of the third. She also recorded 16 birdies over the week, the second-most in the field, and committed only two bogeys across 56 holes.

“I told the team that we are going to win this year, it’s not about if, it’s about when and I think this is the first of many great things to come from this team and it’s a lot of fun,” said Coach Missy Farr-Kaye.

The depth of the roster ensured the lead remained secure. Freshman Natalia Aparicio earned her third top-20 finish in four collegiate tournaments, finishing at 4-under (215). Sophomore Fai Rubrong, the Big 12 Freshman of the Year, overcame a slow start on the front nine of the final round with three consecutive birdies to help maintain the gap over the Bruins and the Cardinal. Sophomore Amelia Wan contributed a crucial opening round of 69 (-4), which helped set the second-lowest team record in program history during the first round.

Statistical dominance at Nanea Golf Club

The Sun Devils didn’t just win; they dominated the course metrics. ASU’s opening round of 20-under (272) is the second-best first-round score in program history. Their final team total of 843 is the second-best 54-hole score ever recorded by the program, surpassed only by a 42-under performance at the 2024 Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational.

The team’s efficiency on the course was evident in the par-3 and par-5 performance. ASU was one of only three teams to shoot under-par on the par-3s, averaging 2.96 strokes. Meanwhile, Rhodes and Dillon both went 8-under on the par-5s, averaging 4.33 strokes each.

Team Total Score Relation to Par
Arizona State 843 -33
UCLA 850 -26
Texas 856 -20

The victory comes against a backdrop of high-level competition at a venue known for its difficulty. The Nanea Golf Club, a private par-73 course opened in 2003 on the slopes of Mount Hualalai, has hosted the invitational since 2013. Facing difficult wind conditions, ASU managed to outlast several top-10 ranked programs.

For the athletes, the stakes extend beyond a single trophy. For Patience Rhodes, who just played her 100th career round as a Sun Devil, the runner-up finish marks her ninth top-10 appearance in her last 11 starts. For Kate Dillon, the tournament served as a breakout moment, marking her second career top-3 finish.

As the fall season closes, the program looks to reset during the off-season. With the momentum of a record-breaking performance in Hawai’i, the Sun Devils return home with hardware and a renewed status as a dominant force in collegiate golf.

More on this story: WWU Women's Golf Places Seventh at Punahele Jerky Company Invitational

More on Women's Golf: Ohio Dominican Women's Golf Finishes 8th at PGA HOPE Collegiate

Related reading

Read next