By Marissa Masano / The Jambar
The Youngstown State University women’s golf team traveled to Hawkstone Country Club in Gainesville, Florida on March 4 and 5 to compete in the Howard University Lady Bison Invitational. The Penguin’s second event of the spring featured 54-holes and a par set at 71.
The team placed fourth out of 12 universities. Senior Madie Smithco and junior Lizzie Saur each earned top-10 individual finishes. The Penguins finished with a three-round team total of 924.
Georgetown University defended its title by winning the event with a team total of 873. Howard University finished second with a three-round total of 896, and Creighton University placed third with a three-round total of 921.
The Penguin’s had a first-round score of 311 and second-round score of 301 to close out Day One of competition. The team rounded out the two-day invitational with a combined total of 312 in the final session.
Smithco, Saur, fifth-year Danae Rugola, sophomore Chaela Barnett and freshman Neeranuch Prajunpanichall competed within YSU’s lineup.
Smithco placed fifth individually out of 76 competitors to earn her sixth top-10 finish this season. Her three-round score of 222 included six birdies and 34 pars.
Coming off a career-best three-round score of 222 in the team’s first event of the spring, Saur tied for 10th individually with a three-round score of 227. This marked her fifth top-10 finish of the season. The junior made six birdies and 29 pars.
Prajunpanich finished tied for 17th with a three-day combined total of 231. The freshman averaged 4.48 par 4s and 4.93 par 5s.
Senior Titita Loudtragulngam and sophomore Adena Rugola competed as individuals in the event and were the next highest finishers.
Adena tied for 35th with a three-day score of 239 and Loudtragulngam’s total score of 240 had her tied for 37th.
Georgetown had the top-three finishers, including junior Georgia Ruffolo, who won the event with a 312 three-round total.
Following the invitational, Smithco was named Under Armour Horizon League Women’s Golfer of the Week. This is the Smithco’s second time being honored and the second Penguin to be recognized by the league this spring. Smithco finished nine over par to lead YSU.
So far in the 2023-2024 campaign, Smithco averages a team-best 73.7 strokes per round.
The Penguins will travel to Nevel Meade Golf Course in Prospect, Kentucky to compete in the Nevel Meade Invitational hosted by Cleveland State University on March 18 and 19.