UK WGolf Wraps Successful Fall Season in Second at Cardinal Cup
SIMPSONVILLE, Ky. – The Kentucky women’s golf team closed its fall season Sunday with a second-place finish at the Cardinal Cup.
A final-round surge by the tournament host, No. 42 Louisville, prevented the Wildcats from winning their third tournament of the fall. UK finished at 12-over par after a final-day 292 (12-over par), but Louisville posted an 18-hole tournament record of 8-under par in the final round on its home course in Simpsonsville, Kentucky, to come from behind.
Kentucky held a four-shot lead heading into the finale – the fourth time in four tournaments the Wildcats have held the lead after two rounds – but the leaderboard got muddled up in a hurry.
UK, Louisville, Campbell and Washington all held leads at various points in the day, but the Cardinals pulled away on the back nine using their knowledge and experience on familiar turf at the University of Louisville Golf Club (par 72, 6,261 yards).
“I’m happy with our effort and I’m happy with our execution,” UK head coach Golda Borst said. “I think they are staying very patient. We were able to play the back nine very solid yesterday. Today I was curious to see how they were going to play. I thought we were in a good place last night. We had good conversations last night and we were at a good place this morning.
“I think they were ready for it; we just didn’t make as many birdies as we needed to today. We got beat. When somebody goes out and shoots 8-under par, there’s not much you can do if you’re not making as many birdies. I think we’re learning to handle that situation better. We’ve got to learn to play three days and stay competitive for three days and just continue to focus on making more birdies, staying aggressive and really not being afraid to win.”
Although the Wildcats were unable to complete their ultimate goal of winning another title, which would have put Kentucky within one of the single-season school record of four set during the 1990-91 season, it was a successful fall – arguably the best in school history – for a team that lost two seniors from last season and rebuilt with a talented but young core.
The Wildcats finished second or better in three of their four tournaments, held late leads in all four and showed an ability to compete with some of the best teams in the country. One of the best turnarounds in the country took tangible notice when UK appeared at No. 20 in the Golfstat rankings released last week. The Wildcats should hold steady after a solid showing this weekend at the Cardinal Cup.
“I’m immensely proud,” Borst said of the fall season. “We got beat today, which is always hard, but to wrap up the entire fall season, I don’t think we’ve had as strong of a fall as we just had. Really proud of their work ethic. They’re buying into everything we’re doing. They want this from within and that makes it really, really neat right now.”
Kentucky had a fight on its hands Sunday from the outset. A slow start and a strong beginning by the other three teams UK was playing with in the final round – Louisville, Campbell and Washington – ensured that whoever could post the lowest score Sunday was going home with the championship.
The Wildcats hung tough for a while with freshman Marissa Wenzler and sophomore Casey Ott posting the two lowest rounds of the day with scores of 70 and 73, respectively.
Freshman Jensen Castle recorded the best 54-hole score for UK with a 1-under-par 215. A 74 snapped her even- or under-par streak at six straight, but she still managed her second top-10 showing and fourth top-20 finish in just four tries.
The highest-rated signee in Kentucky women’s golf history started the day a shot back of the leaders but a pair of bogeys early and a fast start by Kansas’ Sera Tadokoro knocked her out of the running of individual honors.
Tadokoro won individual medalist honors at 8-under par.
Wenzler posted the best score of the day for UK en route to the best weekend of her short college career. The Centerville, Ohio, native’s total of 216 (even par) was not only a career low, it also propelled her to a career-best finish, tied for sixth.
Senior Sarah Shipley bounced back from Saturday’s 78 with a 75 in the final round. She tied for 26th with a 54-hole total of 224, 8-over par.
Sophomore Casey Ott’s streak of top-10 finishes ended at three by tying for 29th. She posted a 73 the second day in a row but a first-round 79 doomed her chances. She was at 9-over par overall this weekend.
Junior Rikke Svejgård Nielsen, at 14-over par, tied for 51st for the weekend, unfamiliar position for the junior from Denmark who entered this weekend with six top-20 showings in 12 collegiate appearances. She posted a 77 Sunday.
Junior Sarah Fite capped the best stretch of her college career with her best 54-hole score to date. After a 75 in the final round, she finished with a total of 221, 5-over par. That easily bested her previous career low of 227, which was set just a few weeks ago at UK’s home tournament, the Bettie Lou Evans Invitational. She tied for 16th after tying for seventh to open the season at the Minnesota Invitational.
This weekend marked the sixth appearance for the Wildcats in the Cardinal Cup and tied for the third-best finish at the annual event.
A busy fall season for Kentucky is now complete. The Wildcats played in five events (four team tournaments) in a month’s time to begin the 2019-20 season.
UK will break for the winter before continuing its season at the beginning of February with the Lady Puerto Rico Classic. The international trip will be the first of five regular season spring tournaments before postseason play.
Castle posted the best 18-hole average of the fall (71.3), the most top-20 finishes (four) and the most even- or under-par rounds (eight). Ott led the team with three top-10 showings and the lowest 54-hole (213) and 18-hole (66) scores.
For the latest on the Kentucky women’s golf team, follow the team on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, as well as on the web at UKathletics.com.
