Michigan Women’s Golf Wins First Ever Big Ten Title
Oakland University women win Horizon League
The nation’s 18th-ranked University of Michigan women's golf team made school 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, who was recently named Big Ten coach of the year. "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!"
U-M made its move in the 2nd round on first-round leader MSU, as Chun carded a career low 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 (6-under 210).
"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."
In other news, Ashley Lau was selected Big Ten Golfer of the Year and is one of 12 women's amateur golfers selected for the International Team which will compete against the U.S. team at the 2022 Palmer Cup (July 1-3) in Cologny, Switzerland.
In a Ryder Cup-style tournament co-founded by legend Arnold Palmer and The Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA), the event features 12-member men's and women's squads battling each other for the Palmer Cup.
"Being part of such a prestigious event is such an incredible honor," said Lau. "To think that I'll be going to Switzerland, I can't wait! I'm very much looking forward to making new friends and playing some great golf alongside some of the best golfers in the world. We rarely play match play in collegiate tournaments so it is going to be a fun and exciting experience."
As a senior, Lau is having a record-breaking campaign. She has won 3 individual events and led the Wolverines overall in six of nine events heading into the postseason. Lau also won the Mary Fossum Award for the lowest scoring average in the conference and is on pace to set the school’s scoring record.
Oakland University Women's Golf secured the 2022 Horizon League Women's Golf Championship on April 26, with the individual championship going to Amalia Shahzan after completing the 73 par, 6051 yard course in 212 (72-70-70) as the only woman to finish under par (7-under).
Nateda Her (Holt, MI) finished the three-day championship in 7th overall after scoring 229 (77-72-80) to finish 10-over while her teammate, Ashley Chinn, finished in a tie for 20th at 235 (+16). Veronica Haque (Rochester Hills, MI) and Emily Fleming finished in 27th and 31st, respectively, with scores of 242 and 244.
This is the second league title for Oakland while in the Horizon League. Head coach Alyssa Gaudio goes out on top after previously announcing this was her last season at Oakland.
– Edited by Tom Lang
