Women's Golf: Women capture first tournament victory in 18 months in Hawaii

The women’s golf team took first place in the final tournament of its fall season last week. The Tigers traveled to Kahuku, Hawaii, to compete in the Turtle Bay Resort Collegiate Invitational a seven-team tournament that included Hawaii; Brigham Young University; University of British Columbia; Portland State; Southern Illinois; and University of California, Irvine.

The three-round tournament took place on two separate courses: The first rounds were played Tuesday and Wednesday on the par-72, 6,361-yard Arnold Palmer Course, and the third round took place Thursday on the George Fazio Course, which is 100 yards shorter and is also par-72.

The Tigers led the field throughout the entire tournament, leading by four shots after the first round.

Princeton led by 12 after the second round and finished the competition three shots ahead of second-place Portland State.

Princeton was led by freshman Kelly Shon, who led the individual scoring by one shot after the first and second rounds of play.

Senior Kate Scarpetta improved her Tuesday score by 10 shots, finishing Wednesday with a score of 70.

Shon said the Tigers appreciated the chance to be in Hawaii during fall break. “We had a bit of time on our hands to roam around the island of Oahu — mostly the north shore — and it was an amazing experience,” she said. “The experiences shared within the team [will] surely be ... unforgettable. On the course, we didn’t perform perfectly, but it was enough to get the job done.”

This victory is the first tournament win for the Tigers in more than 18 months. Furthermore, it is the first victory for the team’s new head coach, Nicki Cutler. Heading into the offseason, the team is confident.

“I think our team’s first-day score of 290 is one of the lowest rounds we’ve had as a team, if not the lowest,” Choi said. “We are really excited about the spring, to keep the momentum going and show strong performances.”

“This was a great confidence builder,” senior Maggie Boberg said. “[It] gives us something to remember as we head into the winter months for practice. Overall, it was the best fall break trip we’ve had.”