The Illinois Wesleyan women’s golf team snagged the Washington University Spring Invitational title from March 3-4. The Titans shared the putting green with 14 schools, which included five in the Top-25 and brought home first.
First-year Macy Ludwig has hit the ground swinging in her first year on the team. On the first day of WashU’s two-day tournament, Ludwig managed to swing a record-breaking 67-point round.
The lowest-scoring single round record was previously shared by sophomore duo Lexi Onsrud and Emma Thorman, who set the 68-point record only a month ago at the Westbrook Invitational.
“I could never have done it without the support of my family, coaches and my team,” Ludwig said when asked about her accomplishments as a first-year.
Ludwig’s performance not only landed her in the program record book, but also caught the attention of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. For the second time in her collegiate career, Ludwig was given a CCIW Golfer of the Week award.
By the first day of the tournament, Ludwig was already leading the Titans to success. Her three-under-par 67 put her in first place individually.
Fellow first-year Jaque O’Neill followed close behind Ludwig with a one-over 71 that tied her for third place. Onsrud helped round out the first day’s Top-10, hitting a four-over 74 and tying for ninth.
The Titans ended the first day of play in first place and the team hit a cumulative 290.
The momentum of the first round propelled the Titans forward the following day, where Ludwig continued to dominate the leaderboard. A two-round combined score of 145 (67 + 78) kept her in first place individually.
Thorman hit the best game of the day with a two-over 72 that improved her individual standing from 24th place to fifth.
O’Neill dropped slightly from her first day’s standing, but remained in the Top-15 with a two-round total of 152. Onsrud closed out the Top-15 individual scores in 14th place, combining her rounds for a 153-point day.
“So many of my teammates have set personal and program records since they started playing for IWU and I am so proud of them,” Ludwig said.
By the end of the weekend tournament, the Titans held onto the first place spot and brought home the team title.
IWU (600) came out on top with an eight-point lead over second-place WashU (608). Denison (615), St. Catherine’s (619) and UW-Whitewater (623) closed out the Top-Five team rankings of the day.
The now 21st-ranking women’s golf team will return to the course to host the Kathy Niepagen Spring Fling Invitational from Saturday-Sunday, April 10-11.