Women's Golf | October 11, 2016
PORT CLINTON, Ohio – Western Michigan's Julia Champion shot a final round of 72 to claim first place at the 2016 Rocket Classic at the Catawba Island Golf Club on Tuesday, as the Broncos took second overall.
Champion finished with a 54-hole total of 218 (+2) to become the first Bronco to win a tournament since 2014, when Chloe Lawrie won the Cardinal Classic. The Markham, Ontario, native entered the final round with a two-shot lead after a first day total of 146 and maintained that lead after shooting even par. Eastern Michigan's Kelsey Murphy took second overall at 220 (+4). Champion was consistent throughout the entire tournament, finishing tied for fifth in pars with 35. She also finished tied for second in birdies with nine.
As a team, Champion, Jasmine Chee, Kaitlyn Watkins and Claire Hernandez combined to shoot 917 (+53) and finish just two strokes behind champions Eastern Kentucky. Host Toledo finished in third at 918 (+54) and Loyola (Ill.) claimed fourth place out of the 14-team field at 612 (+57).
"I am very proud of Julia for her individual win and the team's second place finish," said head coach Elise Swartout-Mosher. "This team continues to make great strides both on and off the golf course. We are looking forward to a good week of practice next week and finishing off the fall season."
Chee led the tournament with 10 birdies and finished tied for fourth at 227 (+11). The finish was the highest so far in Chee's, a freshman, brief career. Watkins finished tied for 13th after finishing with a final round of 81 and a 231 (+15) and Hernandez finished tied for 46th with a final score of 244 (+28).
The Broncos have a week off before heading to Silver Lake, Ohio, and the site of the 2017 Mid-American Conference Championship for the Silver Lake Shootout on Monday, Oct. 24.
