Tag: Hannah Darling

Arizona State wins Darius Rucker Intercollegiate, Julia Lopez Ramirez shoots tournament record

Julia Lopez Ramirez had a tournament-record score Wednesday.

It came down to the final hole, but Arizona State held on.

Grace Summerhays sank her bogey putt on the final hole at Long Cove Club in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, helping the Sun Devils capture the 2024 Darius Rucker Intercollegiate title. It’s the first win of the year for Arizona State, and it came at an event that featured six top-10 teams.

The Sun Devils finished at 3 over for the tournament, topping No. 11 Northwestern by a shot and No. 12 Auburn by two. Host South Carolina finished fourth at 6 over.

Summerhays led heading into the day but shot 4 over in the final round. Nevertheless, she finished T-7 at 2 under. Patience Rhodes and Beth Coulter each placed T-12 finishes at even.

Missy Farr-Kaye said her teams has worked hard the past couple months on being more positive. Even as the Sun Devils trailed for a majority of the day, she is proud of her team’s resilience and how they battled even after taking the lead.

The ASU women earned the win a day after the ASU men won in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

In the individual competition at the Darius Rucker, there was a four-way tie for medalist honors, and how each player got there was unique.

First, Mississippi State’s Julia Lopez Ramirez picked up her first win of the season and did so in record-setting fashion, shooting a tournament-record 7-under 64 to finish at 5 under. Her birdie putt on the last hole for a 63 came up inches short.

Then, Texas freshman Farah O’Keefe rolled in a lengthy birdie putt on her final hole to get to 5 under early and set the clubhouse lead that would hold on for the remainder of the day.

South Carolina’s Hannah Darling, a two-time first-team All-American, birdied two of her final five holes to get into the share of the lead.

Then Northwestern’s Jennifer Cai, who said in a post-round interview she had no idea where she should, was long on her final hole in two shots needing a par to join the group in the clubhouse. Her chip shot ran long and on to the fringe, but she buried the roughly 15-foot par putt to earn the win.

LSU’s Ingrid Lindblad, the No. 1 player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, finished a shot out of first, solo fifth at 4 under.

ANNIKA Award: Final watch list for 2022-23 women’s college golf season

Check out who’s in the running for player of the year in women’s college golf.

The postseason is underway in women’s golf, and after last week’s NCAA Regionals, the NCAA Div. I Women’s Golf Championship field is set for May 19-24 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.

With the championship field set, the race for the ANNIKA Award is starting to heat up. A handful of players have made their case throughout the season as front-runners for the ANNIKA Award, which honors the player of the year in women’s college golf, as selected by college golfers, coaches and members of the college golf media.

If you fit one of the listed criteria above, here’s a link to cast your vote: http://haskinsfoundation.org/2023-annika-voting-ballot

The players are listed alphabetically. Players on the ANNIKA Award Watch List were selected by a panel of Golfweek and Golf Channel writers.

Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings: Women’s team | Women’s individual

ANNIKA Award: First spring watch list for 2022-23 women’s college golf Player of the Year

Check out who’s in the running for women’s college golfer of the year.

With every passing week, the women’s college golf season creeps closer to the NCAA Championships at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The ANNIKA Award announced Thursday its first spring watch list, featuring 15 of the best women’s college golfers this season. Rose Zhang, who captured the award as a freshman last season, is again having a stellar sophomore campaign, but there are plenty of others who are trying to claim the crown.

The ANNIKA Award honors the player of the year in college women’s golf, as selected by college golfers, coaches and members of the college golf media. The players are listed alphabetically. Players on the ANNIKA Award Watch List were selected by a panel of Golfweek and Golf Channel reporters.

Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings: Women’s team | Women’s individual

ANNIKA Award: Final fall watch list for 2022-23 women’s college golf season

Check out who’s in the running for women’s college golfer of the year.

As the fall season winds to a close, it’s time to recognize players who set themselves apart as frontrunners in women’s college golf over the past two and a half months.

Rose Zhang, who won the award as a freshman at Stanford last season, is off to an excellent start this year, but plenty of others are making their case early, like Andrea Lignell at Ole Miss, among many others.

The ANNIKA Award honors the player of the year in college women’s golf, as selected by college golfers, coaches and members of the college golf media. The players are listed alphabetically. Players on the ANNIKA Award Watch List were selected by a panel of Golfweek and Golf Channel reporters.

Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings: Women’s team | Women’s individual

Wake Forest, South Carolina make a move, but Virginia remains out front after second round of ANNIKA Intercollegiate

Virginia is looking to clinch the victory come Wednesday.

LAKE ELMO, Minn. – Lauren Walsh stepped to the tee knowing she had a special round going.

The senior for Wake Forest knew the closing stretch at Royal Golf Club outside of Minneapolis provided multiple birdie opportunities. A short par 4. Two par 5s. After birdieing five of her past six holes, Walsh had an opportunity to go even lower.

“I made bogey on 15, which was plenty frustrating,” Walsh said while cracking a smile, “and then I missed a short birdie putt on 16. so I was determined to birdie one of the last two.”

And she did just that, bringing a loud cheer from her three teammates sitting greenside.

Walsh fired a 6-under 66, tied for low round of the day, to help propel herself and Wake Forest up the leaderboard during Tuesday’s second round of the ANNIKA Intercollegiate. The Demon Deacons, third in Golfweek‘s preseason women’s college team rankings, moved up four spots to second on the team leaderboard after a 9-under performance but still trail Virginia heading to Wednesday’s final round. Walsh sits tied for second place at 5 under for the tournament, and Emilia Migliaccio shot 4 under on the day and moved up to 2 under overall.

ANNIKA Intercollegiate: Score

“Today gives us a lot of confidence moving forward,” Walsh said “We’ve all worked hard on our games over the summer at home. To come back together and see some good scores is always good.”

2022 ANNIKA Intercollegiate
The 2022-23 Wake Forest women’s golf team at the 2022 ANNIKA Intercollegiate. (Photo: Taylor Britton, ANNIKA Foundation)

Wake Forest at one point was in a three-way tie for first with Virginia and South Carolina, which won last season’s tournament. But the Demon Deacons teed off before the Cavaliers and Gamecocks, and there was plenty of leaderboard shuffling before the conclusion of the second round.

Royal Golf Club played almost two strokes easier during the second round Tuesday compared to the first round. The five most difficult holes come on the front nine through two rounds, according to Golfstat. Meanwhile, of the six holes playing under par, four come on the back nine, with three of the four being Nos. 15, 17 and 18.

Virginia finished strong, as it leads following the second straight round at 9 under, six strokes ahead of Wake Forest. Sophomore Amanda Sambach, who shot 7-under 65 in the first round, is at 11 under for the tournament after a second-round 4-under 68 that included birdies on three of her final four holes. She leads by six strokes in the individual competition.

“The team stayed really patient on the front,” Virginia coach Ria Scott said. “There’s a stretch of really challenging holes. They did a great job of sticking to what they were doing and waiting for the opportunities on the back.”

South Carolina fell back after holding the lead alone about halfway through the second round. Mathilde Claisse and Hannah Darling both moved into the top five on the leaderboard, as the duo are tied for second with Walsh. Claisse was 5 under on the day, and Darling tied Walsh for low round of the day at 6-under 66. The Gamecocks are at 2 under, one behind Wake Forest and seven behind Virginia.

Duke had a strong back nine and sits at even par, tied with Michigan for fourth. Phoebe Brinker had four birdies, including three straight, on the back nine and she’s tied for seventh on the leaderboard at 3 under. Freshman Andie Smith birdied six holes on her back nine and shot 3 under for the day.

Florida’s Maisie Filler also finished strong, making birdie on her final three holes to finish 5 under in the second round. Filler is at 3 under for the tournament, in a tie for seventh. Michigan’s Monet Chun and Texas’ Bohyun Park are tied for fifth at 4 under. Auburn’s Megan Schofill is tied for ninth with Migliaccio at 2 under, rounding out the top 10.

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ANNIKA Award: Final watch list for 2021-22 women’s college golf season

Check out who’s in the running for player of the year in women’s college golf.

The postseason is underway in women’s golf, and after last week’s NCAA Regionals, the NCAA Div. I Women’s Golf Championship field is set for May 20-25 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.

With the championship field set, the race for the ANNIKA Award is starting to heat up. A handful of players have made their case throughout the season as front-runners for the ANNIKA Award, which honors the player of the year in women’s college golf, as selected by college golfers, coaches and members of the college golf media.

The players are listed alphabetically. Players on the ANNIKA Award Watch List were selected by a panel of Golfweek and Golf Channel writers.

Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings: Women’s team | Women’s individual

South Carolina finishes off ANNIKA Intercollegiate title to start fall season despite revamped lineup

South Carolina has a new look, but with one tournament under its belt, the same winning ways.

South Carolina’s lineup is nearly unrecognizable from four months ago, but a crew of international players have learned quickly over the past few weeks. Last season, with a roster loaded with experience, the Gamecocks won four times in the regular season and occupied the No. 1 spot in Golfweek’s rankings for a chunk of it.

One tournament into the fall, South Carolina is on top again, having won the ANNIKA Intercollegiate on Wednesday by seven shots. The Gamecocks went 14 under for three days at Royal Golf Club in Lake Elmo, Minnesota, and held off Duke, which tied them with a final-round 4-under performance but finished the week at 7 under.

“This team never let down the entire week,” head coach Kalen Anderson said. “I’m very proud of their fight and discipline, especially in this elite field. We just had a fun week competing and need to focus on keeping this mentality.”

Scores: ANNIKA Intercollegiate Presented by 3M

South Carolina came out of the gate with a round of 10 under, an effort led by freshman Hannah Darling, a Scottish player who enters college after winning the British Girls and representing Great Britain and Ireland at the Curtis Cup. Darling had a bogey-free 66 to open her college career.

In all, Darling, Worapitcha Anudit, Justine Fournand, Louise Rydqvist and new assistant coach Michael Roters were all making their debut with the Gamecocks this week. Only Mathilda Claise, who finished T20 at the ANNIKA, was in the South Carolina lineup for the 2021 postseason.

“It’s a long year ahead and certainly this is only our first round but it’s fun to kind of come out and make a statement early,” Anderson told Golfweek after South Carolina’s big start.

After opening with 66, Darling fired another 66 – this time with one bogey – but at 11 under, finished second to Ole Miss senior Julia Johnson, who reached 12 under with rounds of 67-67-70.

South Carolina tees it up again in the Midwest next month at the Windy City Collegiate Classic in Chicago.

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New-look South Carolina starts falls season in the pole position at ANNIKA Intercollegiate

The Gamecocks experience big turnover between seasons, but freshman Hannah Darling led the team to the top of the ANNIKA in her fall debut.

In her college golf debut, Hannah Darling didn’t make even one bogey. The highly anticipated South Carolina freshman from Scotland, the reigning British Girls champion, certainly lived up to expectations, and the Gamecocks fed off that in Monday’s first round of the ANNIKA Intercollegiate Presented by 3M.

“It’s a long year ahead and certainly this is only our first round,” head coach Kalen Anderson said, “but it’s fun to kind of come out and make a statement early. It’s a great field and there’s a lot of golf left.”

Behind Darling, who made six birdies in her bogey-free 66 at Royal Golf Club in Lake Elmo, Minnesota, the Gamecocks counted a 68, 71, and 72 to reach 10 under and open a seven-shot lead on Duke.

This is new-look South Carolina, a team that lost three seniors after last season as well as former world No. 1 Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, who turned professional last month and won her first Ladies European Tour title at the Skafto Open two weeks later.

Leaderboard: ANNIKA Intercollegiate

Roussin-Bouchard remains on campus completing a psychology degree and is serving as a student assistant. Her early departure was well-communicated, Anderson said, and expected after a season during which Roussin-Bouchard won four times individually, including at the SEC Championship.

The Frenchwoman was a big part of South Carolina’s success last season. The team spent a portion of the spring ranked No. 1 by Golfweek and won four team titles. Despite an extraordinarily deep lineup, South Carolina only squeaked into the NCAA Women’s Championship, winning a playoff against Arkansas to take the sixth and final spot out of the NCAA Louisville Regional.

At the national championship, South Carolina missed the first cut to 12 teams.

Only two players return from that lineup (Paula Kirner and Mathilde Claisse), and only Claisse is teeing it up at the ANNIKA. Anderson said postseason memories are driving Gamecock returners, but largely the ill-timed stumble has been forgotten with the turnover and the start of a new season.

South Carolina women's golf
South Carolina coach Kalen Anderson walks with a player during the first round of the ANNIKA Intercollegiate. (Photo: ANNIKA Foundation)

“It certainly drives me to a certain extent, it drives the people that were there last year,” she said. “I think this team, there’s a new energy, we got some transfers in that are super excited to be here that maybe have a little – I don’t know if I’d say a chip on their shoulder by any means but extremely coachable and just absorbing a lot. Right now, last year’s team was amazing but just a really fun group to coach right now. I think we have a lot of potential moving forward with this group.”

Darling, who compiled a 2-1-1 record for Great Britain & Ireland at the Curtis Cup in Wales earlier this month, could be a major factor for a South Carolina team looking to replace a star player in Roussin-Bouchard.

“She doesn’t overthink things,” Anderson said. “She’s a really relaxed player and very mature. She literally simplifies the game and is very laid-back.”

That’s a plus for a player who has hardly competed in the U.S. But back-to-back starts in the Northern part of the country – South Carolina will competes in next month’s Windy City Collegiate in Chicago – should ease the transition. Then it’s back to Bermudagrass in South Carolina as the Gamecocks keeps adapting – to many changes.

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Great Britain & Ireland use home advantage to take early Curtis Cup lead over Americans in Wales

On the opening day of the Curtis Cup, GB&I used its home advantage and major momentum to produce a three-point lead.

The Nos. 1 and 2 amateurs in the world had their handshake down pat to start the first of three days at the Curtis Cup at Conwy Golf Club in Wales, but the two couldn’t quite manage a point in the first group off the tee on Thursday morning.

Rose Zhang and Rachel Heck certainly had ranking in their favor, but Great Britain & Ireland teammates Hannah Darling and Louise Duncan weren’t budging. Ultimately, Heck stuck it tight on the final hole of morning foursomes and Zhang holed the putt for a birdie that earned the Americans half a point.

The U.S. would win only one more the rest of the day, giving GB&I a 4 ½ to 1 ½ lead after two sessions.

“It was such a hard-fought match, they played amazing as we knew they would, they’re super-accomplished players, and Louise killed it last week in the AIG,” Heck said, referencing Duncan’s T10 at the Women’s British Open. “We knew it was going to be a tough match and it definitely was.”

GB&I won two more full points in the morning and then two more in three afternoon four-ball matches. Only Zhang and U.S. teammate Allisen Corpuz were able to take a full point off their GB&I counterparts on Day One.

Three years ago at Quaker Ridge in Scarsdale, New York, the Curtis Cup was extremely lopsided in the Americans’ favor. They scored a 17-3 victory, piling on eight points in Sunday singles. It’s clear that kind of runaway won’t happen again. An early lead will only boost GB&I’s confidence.

“Obviously we still need to go and just follow-up it tomorrow and it’s not over until the end, I guess,” Darling said at the end of the afternoon’s fourball matches. “But, yeah, it really helps and it gives us more momentum going into tomorrow which is always nice.”

On paper, the eight U.S. players boast better positions in the World Amateur Golf Ranking – just not the Nos. 1 and 2 players but seven of eight players in the top 35.

Duncan, however, is one of three players (including Lauren Walsh and Annabell Fuller) who played the weekend at the Women’s British Open last week. Fuller is the only returner from the 2018 matches on either team.

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Asked about the 2018 Curtis Cup results on the eve of the matches, Elaine Ratcliffe noted the talent among her squad of eight.

“As far as I’m concerned, we will bring a match to America, and I feel we will come out the other end with the right amount of points, whether that be half a point more, one point, two points, three points more,” she said. “We’ve certainly got golfers that can golf. With the crowd, with the support that we’ve got, I think that they will be able to raise their game to a higher level.

“I don’t know — I mean, it sounds dreadful saying I’m pretty sure we can win in that I don’t mean that at all. What I know is I know that we can golf and I know that we can play at a high standard. The girls do that, and we’ve got a very good chance to bring the trophy home.”

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