Michigan Women’s Golf Wins First Ever Big Ten Title
Michigan State places second by just four strokes
The nation’s 18th-ranked University of Michigan women's golf team made history as it used a final round 291 Sunday (April 24) to hold on and tally an 857 (+4) championship total and win the program's first ever Big Ten Championship title, played at the Fox Chapel Golf Club outside Pittsburgh, PA.
"This was a total team effort, from Friday on through Sunday, and we knew that's what it would take," said U-M head coach Jan Dowling. "It was quite the battle out there today. Tough pin positions, a tricky wind and great golf. The team was ready, and they embraced the entire week. We were also able to tap into our experiences from earlier this year which helped. I am so proud of this team for winning our very first Big Ten Championship for Michigan!"
Heading into the championship seeded No. 1 for the first time in program history, the Wolverines set their pace early with a first round 285 (+1) to position U-M in second place after opening 70s (-1) by Chun and senior Sophia Trombetta. U-M made its move in the second round as Monet Chun carded a 66 (-5) to vault herself into the individual lead, while senior Ashley Lau added a 70 (-1) and junior Hailey Borja fired a 71 (E) to give the Wolverines a 281 (-3) tally and the 36 hole lead as a team.
In addition to the team title, Chun used her closing 69 (-2) to win the Big Ten individual title by four shots, posting a 205 (-8) championship total. Becoming just the second Wolverines to claim the conference medalist (Elodie Van Dievoet, 2017), Chun's title was the also the first of her career. She also lowered the U-M Big Ten championship 54-hole record by five shots (210, -6; Van Dievoet).
"There aren't enough words to really capture all my thoughts," said Chun. "However, for my first collegiate win to come at the Big Ten Championships, and the fact that was able to help this program win the first ever team title is just so special. I feel so lucky."
The MSU Spartans were the defending champions. MSU has won 14 Big Ten Championships – including six of the prior 10 – over five decades, the second most of any conference school. MSU had the team lead after Friday’s first round at 2-under par. Then, trailing by four shots entering the final round on Sunday, the Spartans pulled close on the front nine and tied leader Michigan going into the final five holes, before finishing with a three-day, 54-hole score of 9-over par 861, just four strokes behind.
MSU sophomore Leila Raines was the top finisher for the Spartans, tying for sixth place at 2-over par 215. Raines (68-74-73-215), who had jumped to the lead with a 3-under par 68 in Friday's first round, shot a 2-over par in Sunday's final round, with two birdies and 12 pars. Raines was selected to the Big Ten All-Championship team.
