Indiana women’s golf secured its first win of the season Tuesday scoring a 16-over 592 to win the Courtney Cole Invitational by 36 strokes. Scores of 8-over 296 each day tie for the best of the season for the Hoosiers.
This was the highest placement for Indiana since tying for second in the 2019 Big Ten Championship in Maineville, Ohio. It is the first victory in any event since April 2017 at the IU Spring Invitational at IU’s old golf course.
Freshman Aine Donegan continued to impress, scoring an even-par 144 to win the invitational. It is the first individual victory for a Hoosier since Priscilla Schmid in October 2019 at the Landfall Tradition in Wilmington, North Carolina.
Junior Valerie Clancy scored a 2-over 146 to come in second. Senior Mary Parsons rounded out the top three with a 5-over 149.
“There was a lot of improvement and we’re very pleased with the results,” head coach Clint Wallman said. “They came very well prepared and addressed all areas of concern stressed in practice.”
Senior Alexis Miestowski shot a 10-over 154 to tie for sixth, and Freshman Beatriz Junquiera shot a 20-over 164 to complete the lineup for Indiana.
The Courtney Cole Invitational was played at the Pfau Course in Bloomington, Indiana. It was the first of two events Indiana women’s golf will play at the course this season.
Wallman said playing on the home course was an advantage, but there were still challenges created.
“It helped for them to know the course, but we set the course in a manner that required them to execute the way we wanted or else there would be consequences,” Wallman said. “We took advantage and played our best golf so far.”
Since the match was at home, Indiana was allowed five additional individual participants. Junior Hanna Tanaka scored a 12-over 156 to tie for 11th, and sophomore Morgan Dabagia shot a 15-over 159, tying for 14th overall.
Senior Arushi Singh tied for 21st with an 18-over 162, senior Maddie Dittoe tied for 24th with a 20-over 164 and freshman Lydia Cryer placed 35th with a 35-over 179 in her collegiate debut.
With one tournament left in its fall season, Wallman wants the team to pick up where they left off.
“We have some really good momentum fresh off a win and some career low rounds,” Wallman said. “We want to get back out there quickly and compete to try to replicate this week’s success.”
Indiana will travel to Medinah, Illinois, to play in the Illini Invitational on Oct. 11-12. It is the final event of 2021 for the team before it starts play again in 2022 at Big Ten Match Play in Innisbrook, Florida.
