ASU golfer selected to play with top amateurs at Augusta National Women’s Amateur

TEMPE, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) -- Former Xavier Prep and now Arizona State star Ashley Menne is going to tee up Saturday at the home of The Masters at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. Nick King sat down with her as she qualifies for the tournament for the second year in a row.

“Did you grow up watching golf on TV?” asked King. “I did. That was probably the only sport I actually watched,” Menne said.

Her favorite memory? “Mmm. Probably the year that Tiger won. That was pretty cool and I remember watching Adam Scott win as well, that was pretty cool,” elaborated Menne. “Because I did the Drive Chip & Putt and you know, he made that last putt on the last hole. And then when I went they made us putt that same putt. Everyone’s like, ‘oh my gosh, Ashley, you look exactly the same.’ Like, ‘you’re so cute.’ I was so nervous. I finished third. So I was pretty happy with it.”

“So, last year, how would you describe that experience?,” King asked. She responded, “going back last year was kind of surreal. Usually, when we go for golf tournaments, I’m just like, okay, tournament. This is a tournament like, I’m focused. But here I was just kind of trying to have as much fun as I could, enjoy the moment. I was really excited just to be playing in that event, and I was really trying to just take everything in.”

She felt like it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but now she gets to relive the experience again.

“Does it change your approach at all this time around? Playing in it for a second time,?” King asked. “Yeah, I would say so. I mean, now I feel more confident. I would say going into it. Maybe I’ll play a little more like aggressively,” Menne responded.

“When do you started thinking of playing professionally, having that as a dream,” King asked. “I probably started thinking about it once I got into college. When you’re surrounded by so many good players, to see the progression, makes you start to think as well, ‘oh, this is the path. I can do it. It’s pretty doable,” Menne said.

“How would you say kind of your approach to the game or how you view golf has changed since you were a freshman,” King questioned Menne. “I mean, I think every athlete kind of struggles with like, you know, separating golf from like life. Like I’ve golfed my entire life. I have golfed since I was five. And so you know I’ve always kind of attached it to me like that was almost part of my identity. Being able to differentiate, you know, me as a person versus my golf game. That has changed a lot. You know, golf there’s gonna be ups and downs and like you shouldn’t put your self-worth into like how you were playing,” she responded.

How has her sense of confidence changed over time? She answered, “before, like I definitely took like not playing well almost like personally because it’s like, ‘wow, I spent so much time,’ like, ‘I’m practicing,’ and you know, ‘why is it not going the way I want it to,’ or like, ‘what’s wrong with me?’ But then it’s like, you just gotta let go a little bit. And so that’s what I’ve learned to do. I think "

King asked if there was anything else she’d like to do before her time was up at ASU. She answered, “I don’t know. I just want to win a bunch of tournaments and All-American and play my best and have fun and enjoy life.”

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