Upcoming Event: Women's Golf versus Windy City Collegiate Classic on September 29, 2025
Women's Golf
vs Windy City Collegiate Classic
Wednesday, October 27
Atlanta, Ga. (East Lake Golf Club)
Duke University
vs
East Lake Cup
Photo by: Clyde Click
Blue Devils Fall in Tight Battle with OSU in East Lake Championship
10/27/2021 8:08:00 PM | Women's Golf
ATLANTA, Ga. – The Duke women's golf team made a late rally in the championship match of the East Lake Cup on Wednesday, but eventually fell, 3-2, to Oklahoma State at the historic East Lake Club in Atlanta, Ga.
The Blue Devils took the second-ranked Cowgirls late into the match and netted wins by junior Erica Shepherd and sophomore Anne Chen. Both Shepherd and Chen improved to 2-0 on the week in match play, while Shepherd remained undefeated in match play at the East Lake Cup moving her ledger to 4-0. She is now 9-3-1 in match play since arriving in Durham three years ago.
"Everybody shined somewhere," said Duke head coach Dan Brooks. "It's a great way to end the fall. We fought hard, we played a really good team that played well and so when you lose to good golf, that's okay."
Oklahoma State got off to a hot start in all five matches and maintained a lead through 10 holes. Both Shepherd and Chen won hole 11 to tie their contests.
The Cowgirls put the first point on the board as Isabella Fierro took a 7&6 victory over sophomore Phoebe Brinker.
Duke junior Megan Furtney fought hard against Maddison Hinson-Tolchard, but eventually dropped a 3&1 decision. A product of St. Charles, Ill., Furtney went down a hole through two, but chipped in for birdie on No. 3 and 2-putted for par on No. 4 to tie the match. She hit a nice flop shot from off the green and drained a 16-foot par putt on No. 5 to keep the match tied. Hinson-Tolchard won hole No. 6 and gained enough breathing room on Furtney for the remainder of the match. She collected a key sand save for par on No. 11 to keep the deficit to one hole, but eventually dropped the contest on the 17th hole.
Trailing 2-0 in the match, freshman Rylie Heflin continued to battle with Haley Jones. After dropping the first hole, Heflin 2-putted for par on No. 2 to even the match. Jones regained the lead with a par on No. 6 and extended the lead to 2UP by winning No. 10. Heflin, who hails from Avondale, Pa., cut into the deficit by winning No. 12, but 3-putted No. 15 to fall behind by two. Jones was able to close the match on No. 17 as both golfers parred.
As Heflin's match was finishing, Shepherd was on the 18th green against East Lake Cup individual champion Rina Tatematsu with the Duke junior holding a 1UP lead. Shepherd would eventually win the hole to take a 2UP victory. A native of Greenwood, Ind., Shepherd opened her match by draining an eagle from just off the green to take a 1UP lead. Tatematsu would go on to win the second and fourth holes to take a 1UP advantage. Shepherd birdied No. 5 to get the match even, but Tatematsu won the next to regain the lead. With a par on No. 11 and then a birdie on No. 12, Shepherd flipped the match into her favor holding a 1UP lead with six holes remaining. On the 325-yard, par-4, Shepherd hit her 52-degree wedge from 95 yards to 10 feet and sank the putt. She would hold on for the win.
Chen, who is from Sugar Land, Texas, trailed her first 10 holes against Caley McGinty, before winning No. 11 with a par. She then hit her sand wedge from 94 yards to 11 feet and sank the birdie to take her first lead of the day. Chen took a 2UP lead on No. 13, but McGinty drained a long birdie on the par-3 15th to cut the lead to 1UP. Her match was called on No. 16 and Chen won, 1UP. She is now 6-3 in match play since arriving at Duke.
"Sometimes a loss can be even better because you realize, wow, that would have felt a lot better to win, what can I do to make sure that we win next time," said Brooks. "So, you know, that can be a real motivator. You get the feeling of a job -- you know, a great effort made and that's good, but then you also get that little motivation from having not won, and when you put it all out there and you don't come home with a trophy, that's a motivator if you let it be."
The Blue Devils will be off for the remainder of the fall, before opening the spring campaign Feb. 20-22 at the Moon Golf Invitational in Melbourne, Fla.
Duke made its fourth appearance in the East Lake Cup – 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2021 – which matched 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
CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH RESULTS:
Women's Division: (1) Okla. State def. (3) Duke, 3-2
Okla. State (1) vs. Duke (3)
Maddison Hinson-Tolchard (3&1) Megan Furtney
Isabella Fierro (7&6) Phoebe Brinker
Rina Tatematsu Erica Shepherd (2up)
Hailey Jones (2&1) Rylie Heflin
Caley McGinty Anne Chen (1up)
The Blue Devils took the second-ranked Cowgirls late into the match and netted wins by junior Erica Shepherd and sophomore Anne Chen. Both Shepherd and Chen improved to 2-0 on the week in match play, while Shepherd remained undefeated in match play at the East Lake Cup moving her ledger to 4-0. She is now 9-3-1 in match play since arriving in Durham three years ago.
"Everybody shined somewhere," said Duke head coach Dan Brooks. "It's a great way to end the fall. We fought hard, we played a really good team that played well and so when you lose to good golf, that's okay."
Oklahoma State got off to a hot start in all five matches and maintained a lead through 10 holes. Both Shepherd and Chen won hole 11 to tie their contests.
The Cowgirls put the first point on the board as Isabella Fierro took a 7&6 victory over sophomore Phoebe Brinker.
Duke junior Megan Furtney fought hard against Maddison Hinson-Tolchard, but eventually dropped a 3&1 decision. A product of St. Charles, Ill., Furtney went down a hole through two, but chipped in for birdie on No. 3 and 2-putted for par on No. 4 to tie the match. She hit a nice flop shot from off the green and drained a 16-foot par putt on No. 5 to keep the match tied. Hinson-Tolchard won hole No. 6 and gained enough breathing room on Furtney for the remainder of the match. She collected a key sand save for par on No. 11 to keep the deficit to one hole, but eventually dropped the contest on the 17th hole.
Trailing 2-0 in the match, freshman Rylie Heflin continued to battle with Haley Jones. After dropping the first hole, Heflin 2-putted for par on No. 2 to even the match. Jones regained the lead with a par on No. 6 and extended the lead to 2UP by winning No. 10. Heflin, who hails from Avondale, Pa., cut into the deficit by winning No. 12, but 3-putted No. 15 to fall behind by two. Jones was able to close the match on No. 17 as both golfers parred.
As Heflin's match was finishing, Shepherd was on the 18th green against East Lake Cup individual champion Rina Tatematsu with the Duke junior holding a 1UP lead. Shepherd would eventually win the hole to take a 2UP victory. A native of Greenwood, Ind., Shepherd opened her match by draining an eagle from just off the green to take a 1UP lead. Tatematsu would go on to win the second and fourth holes to take a 1UP advantage. Shepherd birdied No. 5 to get the match even, but Tatematsu won the next to regain the lead. With a par on No. 11 and then a birdie on No. 12, Shepherd flipped the match into her favor holding a 1UP lead with six holes remaining. On the 325-yard, par-4, Shepherd hit her 52-degree wedge from 95 yards to 10 feet and sank the putt. She would hold on for the win.
Chen, who is from Sugar Land, Texas, trailed her first 10 holes against Caley McGinty, before winning No. 11 with a par. She then hit her sand wedge from 94 yards to 11 feet and sank the birdie to take her first lead of the day. Chen took a 2UP lead on No. 13, but McGinty drained a long birdie on the par-3 15th to cut the lead to 1UP. Her match was called on No. 16 and Chen won, 1UP. She is now 6-3 in match play since arriving at Duke.
"Sometimes a loss can be even better because you realize, wow, that would have felt a lot better to win, what can I do to make sure that we win next time," said Brooks. "So, you know, that can be a real motivator. You get the feeling of a job -- you know, a great effort made and that's good, but then you also get that little motivation from having not won, and when you put it all out there and you don't come home with a trophy, that's a motivator if you let it be."
The Blue Devils will be off for the remainder of the fall, before opening the spring campaign Feb. 20-22 at the Moon Golf Invitational in Melbourne, Fla.
Duke made its fourth appearance in the East Lake Cup – 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2021 – which matched 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
CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH RESULTS:
Women's Division: (1) Okla. State def. (3) Duke, 3-2
Okla. State (1) vs. Duke (3)
Maddison Hinson-Tolchard (3&1) Megan Furtney
Isabella Fierro (7&6) Phoebe Brinker
Rina Tatematsu Erica Shepherd (2up)
Hailey Jones (2&1) Rylie Heflin
Caley McGinty Anne Chen (1up)
Players Mentioned
PLAYER
/ Women's Golf
PLAYER
/ Women's Golf
PLAYER
/ Women's Golf
PLAYER
/ Women's Golf
PLAYER
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