Upcoming Event: Women's Golf versus ANNIKA Intercollegiate on September 8, 2025
Women's Golf
vs ANNIKA Intercollegiate
Tuesday, October 26
Atlanta, Ga. (East Lake Golf Club)
Duke University
vs
East Lake Cup
Photo by: Clyde Click
Blue Devils Defeat Ole Miss, Advance to Finals at East Lake Cup
10/26/2021 10:21:00 PM | Women's Golf
ATLANTA, Ga. – The Duke women's golf team advanced to the championship match against Oklahoma State after collecting a 4-1 victory over Ole Miss Tuesday in the East Lake Cup, played at the East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Ga.
"I am very proud of this team," said Duke head coach Dan Brooks. "I found out some great things about them today. We haven't had a lot of wind this fall and we went up to the Windy City Classic and didn't play well in the wind. So, I was a little concerned when I saw the wind blowing [today]. I absolutely found out that they can play in the wind just fine. I saw some great shot-making, some great thinking out there today."
Brinker went out first for the Blue Devils and was able to put the first point on the board for Duke. Competing against Natacha Husted of Ole Miss, Brinker won holes No. 1 and No. 3 to go ahead, 2UP, early, but Husted came back to even the match with wins on holes No. 4 and No. 5. After a bogey on No. 8 by Brinker, she trailed for the first time all day. The Wilmington, Del., native responded by winning hole No. 11 as she 2-putted from 10 feet before taking a 1UP lead after draining a 15-foot par putt on No. 13. Husted would not quit as she won No. 14 and No. 15, but Brinker won the final three holes to take the 2UP victory.
The win by Brinker evened the score as freshman Rylie Heflin dropped a 4&3 decision to Ellen Hume.
Chen faced a big challenge on Tuesday as she went up against Julia Johnson, who is ranked No. 18 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR). The Sugar Land, Texas, native collected a sand save for birdie on the par-5 first hole to take a 1UP lead. Chen missed the green on No. 2 and Johnson was able to even the match. With a par on No. 4, Chen once again took a 1UP lead and would never trail the rest of the way. She took a 2UP advantage with a 2-putt birdie on No. 6 and then hit her 8-iron from 126 yards to five feet for a birdie on No. 8 to take a 3UP lead. Chen was able to close the match on No. 16 as she hit a punch down 7-iron from 139 yards to 20 feet and 2-putted for par to win 3&2.
"I was just thinking the whole time -- play your own game, it is ok, whatever happens, happens," said Chen. "She played great and I played great so it was a lot of fun today."
Furtney got off to a great start against Andrea Lignell as the Blue Devil junior won holes No. 2-6 to take a 5UP lead. Lignell was able to get a few back by winning No. 7, No. 10 and No. 11. Furtney, who is from St. Charles, Ill., collected a 6-foot par on No. 12 to move the lead back to 3UP with six to play. She rolled in a key 20-footer for par on No. 15 to remain 3UP and then closed the match with a 2-putt par on No. 16 for a 3&2 win, which also clinched the victory for Duke.
"I was really just trying to take it one shot at a time," said Furtney. "These matches can be really long and you really never know what to expect from the girl you are playing against so I just tried to stay patient, take one shot at a time and have fun with it."
Seeing action in her second East Lake Cup, Shepherd never trailed in her match against Chiara Tamburlini. Shepherd won four out of her first five holes to take a 3UP lead and didn't let her lead drop below 2UP until she lost the 14th with a par. After the match was clinched for the Blue Devils, Shepherd's contest was abandoned with the Blue Devil All-American taking a 1UP victory.
In two appearances in the East Lake Cup, Shepherd holds a 3-0 ledger in match play. She is 8-3-1 overall in match play since arriving in Durham three years ago.
The Blue Devils and Cowgirls will open action Wednesday at 12:45 p.m., with live coverage from the Golf Channel beginning at 3 p.m. Duke and Oklahoma State last met in match play this past May in the semifinals at the NCAA Championship with the Cowgirls taking a 5-0 victory.
Matchups for Wednesday's championship match have Furtney going out first for Duke against Maddison Hinson-Tolchard at 12:45 p.m., followed by Brinker versus Isabella Fierro at 1:05 p.m., Shepherd against Rina Tatematsu at 1:25 p.m., Heflin versus Haley Jones at 1:45 p.m., and Chen takes on Caley McGinty at 2:05 p.m.
The Golf Channel will feature live coverage of the final day Wednesday. College Central will be live from 2:30-3 p.m., followed by live coverage of the final matches from 3-6 p.m.ost round interviews will take place on Golf Central from 6-6:30 p.m.
Duke is making its fourth appearance in the East Lake Cup – 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2021 – which matches Stanford and Southern California for the most appearances in the East Lake Cup. The Blue Devils won the team title in 2016, while Ana Belac shared individual medalist accolades in 2019.
#GoDuke
SEMIFINAL RESULTS:
Women's Division
(1) Okla. State def. (4) Arizona, 3-2
(3) Duke def. (2) Ole Miss, 4-1-0
Okla. State (1) vs. Arizona (4)
Caley McGinty Ya Chun Chang (5&4)
Isabella Fierro (19 holes) Caitlin Whitehead
Hailey Jones (3&2) Ellinor Sudow
Rina Tatematsu Lilas Pinthier (1up)
Maddison Hinson-Tolchard (5&4) Carolina Melgrati
Ole Miss (2) vs. Duke (3)
Natacha Husted Phoebe Brinker (2up)
Ellen Hume (4&3) Rylie Heflin
Julia Johnson Anne Chen (3&2)
Andrea Lignell Megan Furtney (3&2)
Chiara Tamburlini Erica Shepherd (1up)
"I am very proud of this team," said Duke head coach Dan Brooks. "I found out some great things about them today. We haven't had a lot of wind this fall and we went up to the Windy City Classic and didn't play well in the wind. So, I was a little concerned when I saw the wind blowing [today]. I absolutely found out that they can play in the wind just fine. I saw some great shot-making, some great thinking out there today."
Brinker went out first for the Blue Devils and was able to put the first point on the board for Duke. Competing against Natacha Husted of Ole Miss, Brinker won holes No. 1 and No. 3 to go ahead, 2UP, early, but Husted came back to even the match with wins on holes No. 4 and No. 5. After a bogey on No. 8 by Brinker, she trailed for the first time all day. The Wilmington, Del., native responded by winning hole No. 11 as she 2-putted from 10 feet before taking a 1UP lead after draining a 15-foot par putt on No. 13. Husted would not quit as she won No. 14 and No. 15, but Brinker won the final three holes to take the 2UP victory.
The win by Brinker evened the score as freshman Rylie Heflin dropped a 4&3 decision to Ellen Hume.
Chen faced a big challenge on Tuesday as she went up against Julia Johnson, who is ranked No. 18 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR). The Sugar Land, Texas, native collected a sand save for birdie on the par-5 first hole to take a 1UP lead. Chen missed the green on No. 2 and Johnson was able to even the match. With a par on No. 4, Chen once again took a 1UP lead and would never trail the rest of the way. She took a 2UP advantage with a 2-putt birdie on No. 6 and then hit her 8-iron from 126 yards to five feet for a birdie on No. 8 to take a 3UP lead. Chen was able to close the match on No. 16 as she hit a punch down 7-iron from 139 yards to 20 feet and 2-putted for par to win 3&2.
"I was just thinking the whole time -- play your own game, it is ok, whatever happens, happens," said Chen. "She played great and I played great so it was a lot of fun today."
Furtney got off to a great start against Andrea Lignell as the Blue Devil junior won holes No. 2-6 to take a 5UP lead. Lignell was able to get a few back by winning No. 7, No. 10 and No. 11. Furtney, who is from St. Charles, Ill., collected a 6-foot par on No. 12 to move the lead back to 3UP with six to play. She rolled in a key 20-footer for par on No. 15 to remain 3UP and then closed the match with a 2-putt par on No. 16 for a 3&2 win, which also clinched the victory for Duke.
"I was really just trying to take it one shot at a time," said Furtney. "These matches can be really long and you really never know what to expect from the girl you are playing against so I just tried to stay patient, take one shot at a time and have fun with it."
Seeing action in her second East Lake Cup, Shepherd never trailed in her match against Chiara Tamburlini. Shepherd won four out of her first five holes to take a 3UP lead and didn't let her lead drop below 2UP until she lost the 14th with a par. After the match was clinched for the Blue Devils, Shepherd's contest was abandoned with the Blue Devil All-American taking a 1UP victory.
In two appearances in the East Lake Cup, Shepherd holds a 3-0 ledger in match play. She is 8-3-1 overall in match play since arriving in Durham three years ago.
The Blue Devils and Cowgirls will open action Wednesday at 12:45 p.m., with live coverage from the Golf Channel beginning at 3 p.m. Duke and Oklahoma State last met in match play this past May in the semifinals at the NCAA Championship with the Cowgirls taking a 5-0 victory.
Matchups for Wednesday's championship match have Furtney going out first for Duke against Maddison Hinson-Tolchard at 12:45 p.m., followed by Brinker versus Isabella Fierro at 1:05 p.m., Shepherd against Rina Tatematsu at 1:25 p.m., Heflin versus Haley Jones at 1:45 p.m., and Chen takes on Caley McGinty at 2:05 p.m.
The Golf Channel will feature live coverage of the final day Wednesday. College Central will be live from 2:30-3 p.m., followed by live coverage of the final matches from 3-6 p.m.ost round interviews will take place on Golf Central from 6-6:30 p.m.
Duke is making its fourth appearance in the East Lake Cup – 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2021 – which matches Stanford and Southern California for the most appearances in the East Lake Cup. The Blue Devils won the team title in 2016, while Ana Belac shared individual medalist accolades in 2019.
#GoDuke
SEMIFINAL RESULTS:
Women's Division
(1) Okla. State def. (4) Arizona, 3-2
(3) Duke def. (2) Ole Miss, 4-1-0
Okla. State (1) vs. Arizona (4)
Caley McGinty Ya Chun Chang (5&4)
Isabella Fierro (19 holes) Caitlin Whitehead
Hailey Jones (3&2) Ellinor Sudow
Rina Tatematsu Lilas Pinthier (1up)
Maddison Hinson-Tolchard (5&4) Carolina Melgrati
Ole Miss (2) vs. Duke (3)
Natacha Husted Phoebe Brinker (2up)
Ellen Hume (4&3) Rylie Heflin
Julia Johnson Anne Chen (3&2)
Andrea Lignell Megan Furtney (3&2)
Chiara Tamburlini Erica Shepherd (1up)
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Golf
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/ Women's Golf
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/ Women's Golf
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/ Women's Golf
PLAYER
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