WGolf ACC Championship History: Blue Devils, Maguire Win Trophies

DURHAM, N.C.— The Duke women's golf program has won 21 ACC Championships in program history. Head coach Dan Brooks has guided the Blue Devils to 20 of the 21 titles. From April 14 through April 23, Duke looked back at each championship.

Apr. 23, 2018

For the 21st time in school history, the Duke women's golf program won the ACC Championship as the top-seeded and fifth-ranked Blue Devils compiled an impressive 15-under-par, 849, to win by 27 strokes at the 6,122-yard, par 72 Grandover Resort & Conference Center East Course in Greensboro, N.C.

Blue Devil senior Leona Maguire won her third ACC Individual crown as she outlasted teammate Jaravee Boonchant in three playoff holes to win the title. The duo birdied the final hole of their rounds on No. 18 to finish in a tie at six-under, 210, and needed three playoff holes to decide the winner in pouring down rain.

2018 ACC Womens Golf Championship #ACCWGolf

2018 ACC Womens Golf Championship #ACCWGolf

"They are both very competitive," said Duke head coach Dan Brooks. "There wasn't a whole lot of chatting going on between them during the playoff, I can tell you that, and that is just because they are competitors. Off the course, when they are not competing like that, they are good friends. We have a real tight team. Everybody pulls for one another, and that's great."

Duke carded rounds of 282, 281 and 286 over the three days to produce a 15-under-par, 849, to finish 27 strokes ahead of Florida State (876). The 15-under, 849, was the lowest 54-hole ledger in Blue Devil ACC Championship history besting a five-under, 859, a year ago.

"We had a great tournament," said Brooks. "I am real proud of the team. They adapted to the conditions well on a course they have never seen. There are some intimidating holes out there, and they did a great job."

It marked the 20th ACC Championship under the direction of Brooks and the second straight. The win was the first of the spring season for the Blue Devils and the fourth victory of the 2017-18 campaign.

2018 ACC Womens Golf Championship #ACCWGolf

Duke featured four golfers in the top five of the leaderboard after it was all said and done. Maguire (1st), Boonchant (2nd), sophomore Ana Belac (T3rd) and junior Virginia Elena Carta (T5th).

Maguire and Boonchant were back and forth all day, after Maguire opened the final round with a one stroke advantage at six-under-par. After a bogey on the first hole by Maguire, the duo was even at 5-under-par. Maguire went back ahead with a two-foot birdie on No. 2. Both golfers suffered bogeys on the challenging fifth hole, but Boonchant would take her first lead of the tournament on the 510-yard, par five sixth hole as she chipped in for her team-best fifth eagle of the season. A native of Bangkok, Thailand, Boonchant used her 60-degree wedge from 27 yards to move ahead by one stroke.

Both Blue Devils suffered three-putt bogeys on No. 12 and then notched four straight pars. Boonchant had a bogey on No. 17 to even the ledger at five-under with one hole remaining. Heading to the par five 18th, Boonchant connected on a four-footer for birdie to move ahead by one stroke as Maguire looked on. Maguire, who hails from Cavan, Ireland, hit a great shot from the rough down the fairway. With 72 yards remaining and needing a birdie to send it to a playoff, Maguire came through big time as she hit her 52-degree wedge to two feet and connected on her 11th birdie of the tournament.

The Duke golfers went back to the No. 18 tee box and both had good drives, before it looked like Maguire had the advantage as Boonchant hit approach into the green long, while Maguire was approximately 12 feet away for birdie. Boonchant hit a perfect chip to eight feet and needed to make that for par. After Maguire missed her birdie chance and made par, Boonchant rattled in an eight-footer to send the match to another playoff hole.

On the second playoff hole, Maguire's chip into the green came up short and left her with a 12-footer for birdie and Boonchant had a seven-footer for birdie. Maguire missed her putt and Boonchant had hers left to clinch her first collegiate victory. Boonchant just missed and sent it to a third playoff hole, which was at the par four 17th.

2018 ACC Womens Golf Championship #ACCWGolf

On the third playoff hole, Boonchant found the left fairway bunker and had to chip out into the fairway. Maguire's drive found the fairway and was left with a 15-foot birdie putt, which just missed. It all came down to Boonchant as she needed to drain a 10-foot par putt that slid just left and Maguire won the title.

"It really came down to the very end, the last putt," said Maguire. "For me to birdie the last hole to get into the playoff, I knew Jaravee was going to push me the entire way. She has had a great year as a freshman. I won my first ACC title in a playoff, so to finish off my senior year and win another one in a playoff is special."

Maguire's ACC Individual title was the third over her impressive four-year career as she also won the trophy's in 2015 and 2017. She joined only Duke standout Amanda Blumenherst (2006-08) as three-time ACC individual champions in league history.

Belac, a native of Portoroz, Slovenia, finished her solid week with rounds of 70, 74 and 70 for a two-under, 214, which tied third. She kicked off her day with a par on No. 1 and then sank a three-footer for birdie on the 495-yard, par five third hole. Belac had six straight pars and then had her only bogey of the day on No. 9. On the back, she hit all nine greens in regulation and played it at two-under, 34. Belac rolled in an eight-foot birdie on No. 11 and then registered a 25-foot birdie on No. 14 to get to two-under-par for the day. She had birdie chances on each of the final three holes but missed three putts under 10 feet. Belac hit a team-best 17 greens, 11 fairways and had 33 putts.

Just her second tournament of the spring, Carta continued to impress as she placed tied fifth with rounds of 75, 70 and 71 for an even-par, 216. Carta, who is from Udine, Italy, posted a 20-foot birdie on No. 3 to move to one-under and after a bogey on No. 5 she got back into the red with a five-footer for birdie on No. 6. Carta suffered bogeys on No. 10 and No. 12 but would go on to finish strong. She two-putted for birdie from 20 feet on No. 13 and hit her approach on No. 17 to two feet and sank the birdie putt. Carta then was on the par five 18th green in two and drained her first eagle of the season from 10 feet to finish four-under over the final six holes. She hit 15 greens on the day.

2018 ACC Womens Golf Championship #ACCWGolf

Senior Lisa Maguire finished the 54 holes with a 79 on Monday and was tied 40th overall with a 229. She collected birdies on No. 2 from 10 feet and was just off the green on No. 5 and rolled in a second birdie. Maguire had only 29 putts on the day and closed with nine pars over her final 11 holes.

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