» With a final-round team tally of 297, Michigan’s season-low 896 54-hole total helped the Wolverines close their fall season with a fifth-place finish at the Landfall Tradition.
» Freshman Ashley Lau’s career-low 221, 54-hole total helped her lead U-M with a career-best tie for 11th. Additionally she tied a career-low with a 71 (-1) in the first round.
» U-M posted its third top five finish in six Landfall Tradition appearances. The Wolverines’ 896 was the lowest team tally and first time the Maize and Blue cracked the 900-barrier.
» The Landfall Tradition field featured 16 of the 18 teams that ranked among the top 65, with seven about the top-25.
Site: Wilmington, North Carolina
Tournament: The Landfall Tradition
Course: Country Club of Landfall (Par 72, 6,166 yards)
U-M Team Standing: 5th Place of 18 Teams (306-293-297/896)
Top U-M Individual: Ashley Lau, tie-11th (71-76-74/221)
Next U-M Event: Mon-Tue., Feb. 18-19, 2019 — Moon Golf Invitational (Melbourne, Fla.)
WILMINGTON, N.C. — With a career weekend from freshman Ashley Lau, the University of Michigan women’s golf team closed its fall season with a fifth-place finish with a season-low 896 total Sunday (Oct. 28) at the Landfall Tradition played at the prestigious Country Club of Landfall.
“It was a long but very rewarding and fun weekend for our team,” said U-M head coach Jan Dowling. “We stayed tough and limited our mistakes in some really tough rain the first day. We completed that round the next morning really strong, with four birdies, which gave us some much-needed momentum.
“We managed the golf course very well, controlled the ball in some gusty winds, which made a big difference. Mandi (Morrow) and I are really proud of the team, this finish was a true team effort — getting low rounds from the entire lineup and consistent play from Elodie (Van Dievoet) and the Ashleys (Lau and Kim).”
Playing in its second straight and sixth overall Landfall Tradition, the first round was hampered with weather delays which eventually led to the suspension of the round after the Wolverines completed 15 holes. Returning to the course early Saturday morning, Lau’s career-low-tying 71 (-1) and a pair of 77s from senior Elodie Van Dievoet and freshman Sophia Trombetta, helped U-M to a 306 tally and a tie for seventh.
Moving directly into the second round, Trombetta used four birdies on the back nine to tie her career-best and U-M season-low 70 (-2). Adding a 73 (+1) from sophomore Ashley Kim and a 74 (+2) from Van Dievoet, the Wolverines used a 293 team post to close a long day tied for fifth with a 599 two-round total.
Playing in a competitive field for the third straight event, a final round 73 (+1) from junior Alisa Snyder and 74s from Lau and Van Dievoet helped the Maize and Blue to a 297 total and season-low 896 total. With the tally, the Wolverines were able to maintain its position and finish fifth — a season-best team finish.
Lowering her career-best total by three shots, Lau’s 221 (71-76-74) total helped her to a career-best tie for 11th individually and lead the Wolverines for the first time in her young career. Van Dievoet’s back-to-back closing 74s helped her to her first top 25 finish this season as she tied for 24th with a season-low 225 (77-74-74) — her best by eight shots.
“What a finish for Ashley,” said Dowling. “She really started to hit her irons great and was super consistent all week. She gave herself some nice birdie opportunities each day and was just so steady.”
In her third career start, Trombetta rounded out the Wolverine top three with a career-best 227 (77-70-80) tally. Lowering her prior best by 12 shots, she tied for 38th.
“Having such a strong finish to end the fall gives us a nice confidence boost because we finally played closer to what we are capable of,” added Dowling. “This team is working and playing hard for Michigan and we will continue to do so through the winter to get ready for a great spring.”
The four-event fall season completed, the Wolverines turn toward their winter training break over the next three months. U-M will not head back out to the links until February, when the Maize and Blue travels to Melbourne, Florida, for Louisville’s Moon Golf Invitational (Feb. 18-19) at the Duran Golf Club. In its first appearance last year, U-M finished 10th with a 910 team total.
Final Team Standings
1. Duke 297-297-285 = 879
2. South Carolina 302-289-290 = 881
3. Arkansas 300-285-297 = 882
4. Virginia 303-290-299 = 892
5. MICHIGAN 306-293-297 = 896
6. Wake Forest 299-306-293 = 898
7. Maryland 309-290-305 = 904
8. Penn State 300-301-304 = 905
9. N.C. State 308-292-306 = 906
North Carolina 307-298-301 = 906
11. Oklahoma State 307-301-302 = 910
12. Central Florida 316-293-303 = 912
Michigan State 315-298-299 = 912
14. Purdue 306-297-310 = 913
15. LSU 311-299-306 = 916
16. Furman 315-298-307 = 920
17. Notre Dame 310-311-310 = 931
18. UNC Wilmington 315-305-312 = 932
Top Individuals
1. Virginia Elena Carta, Duke 72-72-72 = 216 (E)
Gina Kim, Duke 74-73-69 = 216
3. Kaylee Benton, Arkansas 75-69-73 = 217
Dylan Kim, Arkansas 73-71-73 = 217
5. Lois Kaye Go, South Carolina 76-71-71 = 218
6. Stephanie Astrup, Oklahoma State 73-74-72 = 219
Virunpat Olankitkunchai, Maryland 71-70-78 = 219
Marion Veysseyre, South Carolina 73-70-76 = 219
Emily Price, South Carolina 73-76-70 = 219
10. Kelly Whaley, North Carolina 74-74-72 = 220
Michigan Individuals
T11. Ashley Lau 71-76-74 = 221
T24. Elodie Van Dievoet 77-74-74 = 225
T38. Sophia Trombetta 77-70-80 = 227
T58. Ashley Kim 83-73-76 = 232
T79. Alisa Snyder 81-82-73 = 236
