KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. (EMUEagles.com) – After waiting 362 days since its last competitive round, the Eastern Michigan University women’s golf team returned to the course for the first time in 2021 at the Kiawah Island Classic. Head Coach Stephanie Jennings new look crew, relied on four freshmen making their collegiate debut Sunday, Feb. 28, on the par 72, 5,991 yard layout at the Cougar Point Golf Course on the Kiawah Island Golf Resort.
Freshman Anna Watson (Ashland, Ohio-Ashland) led the way for the Eagles with an opening round 77 to sit in a tie for 77th-place. Watson fired a two-over par front nine that saw her birdie No. 9 before finishing the backside at three-over.
Sophomore Olivia Loberg (Bend, Ore.-Summit) added an 80 to sit in a tie for 139th, while senior Maria Connelly (Waterville, Ohio- Anthony Wayne) notched an 82 to hold down 161st-place. Freshman Sophia Wygonik (Westland, Mich.-Livonia Franklin) and Paige Zolciak (Perrysburg, Ohio-St. Ursula Academy) rounded out the EMU lineup with an 84 and an 87, respectively.
Dallas Baptist’s Faith DeLaGarza holds down the tournament’s top spot with a blistering tally of five-under 67. Towson’s Jordan Cornelius and Murray State’s Raeysha Surendran are just two strokes off the pace with a 69.
Playing as an individual, freshman Tatyana Nyambane (Nairobi, Kenya-Nord Anglia International School Dubai) scored an 89 to open her EMU career.
Tabbed as the largest collegiate golf tournament in the country, the 2021 edition of the tournament field includes 41 teams and will be played at two courses. After Monday’s second round, the top 19 teams will play for the championship at Cougar Point during the final round, while teams 20-41 will play for a flight championship at Oak Point.
East Tennessee State University sits atop the leaderboard with a two-under 286. DBU (292), Murray State (293), Northern Illinois (294), and Stetson (296) round out the top-five spots in the team standings.
Second round action from the Palmetto State continues Monday, March 1, at 8 a.m. Eastern will be paired with South Carolina Upstate and Oakland with tee times off No. 10.
Eastern Michigan Individual Results:
Pl. Player Scores
t-77. Anna Watson 77
t-139 Olivia Loberg 80
t-161 Maria Connelly 82
t-179. Sophia Wygonik 84
t-197. Paige Zolciak 87
*t-207. Tatyana Nyambane 89
* – playing as individual
Team Scores:
Pl. Team Scores
1. East Tennessee State 286
2. DBU 292
3. Murray State 293
4. Northern Illinois 294
5. Stetson 296
6. Morehead State 297
7. Delaware 300
8. USC Upstate 301
t-9. UNC Asheville 304
t-9. Oakland 304
t-9. Elon 304
t-12. Wofford 305
t-12. College of Charleston 305
t-12. Missouri State 305
t-12. UNCG 305
t-16. UT Arlington 306
t-16. Youngstown State 306
t-16. Dayton 306
t-16. Oral Roberts 306
20. James Madison 307
t-21. Boston College 308
t-21. Samford 308
t-23. William & Mary 309
t-23. Austin Peay 309
t-23. Western Carolina 309
t-26. Jacksonville State 310
t-26. Radford 310
t-26. Presbyterian 310
29. IUPUI 312
30. Tennessee Tech 313
31. Longwood 314
32. Towson 316
t-33. Detroit Mercy 319
t-33. Lipscomb 319
35. North Alabama 320
36. Butler 321
37. Eastern Michigan 323
38. Indiana State 325
39. Alabama State 326
40. Delaware State 328
41. The Citadel 338