Hekkonen Wins, Brown Ties for Second Place at Folds of Honor Collegiate

GRAND HAVEN, Mich. – The University of Kentucky women’s golf team finished in third place – in front of seven teams ranked or receiving votes in the Women’s Golf Coaches Association preseason rankings – at the Folds of Honor Collegiate on an 877 (+13) tournament total at American Dunes Golf Club in Grand Haven, Michigan, on Wednesday.

The Wildcats were clutch in the final round and particularly down the stretch, turning in a 2-under-par 286, the best round of any team all week.

Kentucky – who bolstered a young lineup made up of four sophomores and one junior – outperformed four teams in the WGCA preseason top 25 and three teams receiving votes.

Anastasia Hekkonen, a sophomore, led the prestigious tournament wire-to-wire, earning her first collegiate championship.

The last time a UK women’s golfer won an individual title was on Oct. 18, 2022, when Jensen Castle topped the field at the Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invitational.

Hekkonen went 66, 72 and 71 to assemble a 7-under-par 209, smashing her previous career best by 11 shots. And, despite entering the final round tied with another competitor, she concluded her time at the Folds of Honor Collegiate four shots ahead of second place.

The Helsinki, Finland, native recorded 11 birdies throughout the 54 holes, while she only recorded four bogeys total. In fact, she didn’t record her first bogey until 26 holes in.

The Wildcat wasn’t alone at the top, though, as Cathryn Brown worked her way up the leaderboard after each day. Brown, a sophomore from Eddyville, Kentucky, put together a 73, 71 and a 69 in the final round, forming a 3-under-par 213. She made a big push on the back nine today, earning six pars and three birdies. Those trio of birdies all came in the last four holes and even featured a chip in on her last hole of the tournament – the par-5 No. 18.

The Bluegrass native went 3-under-par 213 for the event, earning a share of second place. It marked the junior’s best tournament finish in her college career.

Karlie Campbell also had her best round of the tournament Wednesday. The sophomore had a quiet scorecard, earning a pair of bogeys on the par-4 No. 1 and the par-3 No. 4 before following those up with 13 pars and a birdie on the par-3 No. 12. With her 1-over-par 73 in the final round, she amassed an 11-over-par 227 for 30th place.

C.A. Carter, a sophomore from Lexington, Kentucky, also had her best round of the tournament today, recording a 1-over-par 73. She scattered four birdies across her scorecard on Nos. 3, 8, 15 and 18. Playing in just her fifth tournament, she came up with a 14-over-par 230 for a share of 39th place. Raleygh Simpson played in just the third tournament of her college career and after a 5-over-par 77 in the final round, she finished with an 18-over-par 234 for 44th place.

Next up for the Wildcats, the team will take two weeks off before competing next at The Johnie Imes Invitational at The Club at Old Hawthorne in Columbia, Missouri, from Sept. 22-23.

Scorecard
1 Anastasia Hekkonen 66, 72, 71 … 209 (-7)
T2 Cathryn Brown 73, 71, 69 … 213 (-3)
30 Karlie Campbell 76, 78, 73 … 227 (+11)
T39 C.A. Carter 81, 76, 73 … 230 (+14)
44 Raleygh Simpson 80, 77, 77 … 234 (+18)

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