Hoosiers win invitational

The IU women’s golf team emerged victorious for the third time this season Sunday as they captured the IU Invitational title Sunday by three strokes over Kansas. The Hoosiers led wire-to-wire, as they were the leaders after Saturday’s first rounds as well.

Hoosier sophomore Elizabeth Tong won the outright individual title as well, which gave Tong her third individual title of the season.

She posted a 1-under-71 on Sunday to finish at 217 (71-75-71), five strokes ahead of Thanuttra Boonraksasat of Kansas. Tong also won titles this year at the IU Fall Kickoff and the Las Vegas Collegiate Showdown.

IU fired a 295 over Sunday’s final 18 holes to finish the 54-hole event with a score of 890 (298-297-295). Kansas posted the low round of the day at 293 and finished second at 893. Eastern Michigan was third (917), with Toledo (918) and Ball State (924) rounding out the top five.

Playing in her last home event, senior Kate Coons tied for third, just one shot back of second place at 223. She was able to put up consistently solid scores of (74-75-74) throughout the tournament.

Senior Rosie Davies and graduate student Kristen Schelling both tied for ninth with a 226, giving IU four finishes in the top 10. Davies carded a 76 on Sunday (78-72-76), with Schelling also 4-over par on the day (75-75-76).

Rounding out the first team for the Hoosiers was Marissa DeCola, who posted her third top-20 finish of the year, tying for 19th with a 230 (80-76-74).

The Hoosiers also had a second team that competed. It was led by junior Sophie Hayashi with a tie for 42nd at 239 (81-77-81).

Freshman Eva Schoenwald (82-81-85) and Maria Mancini (84-87-77) tied for 71st with a 248, while sophomores Kamryn Klawitter (85-85-80) and Sarah Dusman (90-81-79) finished tied for 75th at 250.

After the conclusion of the round Sunday, IU Head Coach Clint Wallman and Assistant Coach Lauren Harling were very pleased with the output of the team this weekend.

“I was very pleased that we could come out on our home golf course this weekend and get a win,” Harling said. “Elizabeth is very special, she has her own unique way of playing golf and the sky really is the limit for her. We are just really starting to see what she can be capable of.”

The Hoosiers will return to the course next weekend as they close out the regular season with the Buckeye Spring Invitational at Ohio State, April 20-21 in Columbus, Ohio.