DURHAM — With the year of 2024 approaching, let's look back at a very successful 2023 with the Duke women's golf program, which included its alumnae won over $5 million on the LPGA and won six events on the LPGA and Epson Tour. Below are the top moments from 2023.
Hall of Fame Inductions – Liz Janangelo, Leigh Anne Hardin, Anna Grzebien
After an impressive amateur and professional golf career, 2006 graduate Liz (Janangelo) Caron was rewarded on Dec. 7 as she was inducted into the Connecticut Golf Hall of Fame during a ceremony at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn.
On Dec. 5 in Las Vegas, former Duke National Champion, Anna Grzebien, was inducted into the Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) Players Hall of Fame at Planet Hollywood Resort.
Former Duke standout Leigh Anne (Hardin) Creavy was inducted into the Indiana Golf Hall of Fame in November, which took place at the Bridgewater Golf Club in Auburn, Ind.
Katie Li – Metropolitan Golf Association (MGA) Women's Player of the Year
Duke rookie
Katie Li was selected the Metropolitan Golf Association (MGA) inaugural Women's Player of the Year as announced by the association on Nov. 13.
Li's performances on the national stage earned her 1,135 points, a convincing 510 points ahead of Catherine McEvoy of Innis Arden, who advanced to the Round of 16 in the U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur Championship and finished second and as low amateur at the Women's Met Open Championship. Aliea Clark of Five Iron Golf (450), Megha Ganne of Liberty National (395), and Ina Kim-Schaad of Deepdale (285) rounded out the top-five.
Duke Celebrates 50th season of women's golf/40th Season of Dan Brooks as Head Coach
The 2023-24 edition of Duke women's golf is a special one as the Blue Devils' compete in the 50th overall season in Durham, while head coach
Dan Brooks is currently in his 40th season leading Duke women's golf.
One of the winningest programs in NCAA history, the Blue Devils have risen to new heights under the direction of Brooks, winning an NCAA-record seven NCAA Championships, 21 ACC Championships and a NCAA-record 142 team wins.
At least one Duke golfer has been tabbed a first, second, third or honorable mention All-American each year since the 1991-92 season. A Duke golfer has earned National Player of the Year accolades a total of 12 times, while four have won the NCAA Individual Championship, 21 have won ACC Individual titles and three have won the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship.
Over the 49 seasons of women's golf at Duke, the Blue Devils have won seven NCAA Championships, 22 ACC Championships, registered 151 team wins and 115 individual victories under the direction of head coaches Jane Lloyd, Ron Schmid and Brooks.
Dan Brooks – Signs 5-Year Extension
Duke University Vice President and Director of Athletics Nina King announced on Nov. 2 Blue Devil head coach
Dan Brooks has signed a five-year contract extension through the 2027-28 campaign.
Brooks, the winningest women's golf coach in NCAA history, is coming off collecting his 142nd all-time victory this past weekend at the Landfall Tradition as the Blue Devils carded a record-tying 17-under, 271, on Sunday to finish with a 21-under, 843. His 142 wins are the most of any coach in NCAA history.
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Dan Brooks has set the standard for collegiate coaches – regardless of sport – with a list of accomplishments rivaled by few in NCAA history," said Duke Vice President and Director of Athletics Nina King. "Having cultivated and sustained a championship culture with our women's golf program, Coach Brooks has been a pillar of success at Duke University for four decades, and we are incredibly fortunate to have him continue his elite career here."
Duke Wins Landfall Tradition
Heading into the final round of the Landfall Tradition, the Duke women's golf team trailed by four strokes, but the Blue Devils caught fire Sunday, Oct. 29 to collect a school-record tying 17-under-par, 271, to win the event for the fourth time in school history.
Duke turned in rounds of 286, 286 and 271 to finish with a 21-under, 843. The Blue Devils finished in a tie for first along with Clemson, but Duke won the team title by virtue of a tiebreaker (fifth player's third round score).
All six Blue Devils that hit the course on Sunday shot under par –
Anne Chen (8-under, 64),
Phoebe Brinker (4-under, 68),
Emma McMyler (3-under, 69),
Katie Li (2-under, 70),
Andie Smith (2-under, 70) and
Rylie Heflin (2-under, 70).
Duke and Clemson finished with an 843, while UCF (844), Arizona (855) and Alabama (856) rounded out the top five teams at the 6,194-yard, par-72 Country Club of Landfall Pete Dye Course in Wilmington, N.C.
Professional Success for Blue Devils
Duke women's golf alumnae had its most successful season of all time on the professional circuit in 2023. As a group on the LPGA, the Blue Devils earned $5,366,173 with five wins, 24 top-10 finishes, 38 top-20 placements and 145 rounds in the 60s.
Combined over the three tours, the Blue Devils earned a whopping $7,167,188 of earnings in 2023!
Maguire/Boutier/Wang Win on LPGA/Epson Tour
The trio of Leona Maguire, Celine Boutier and Miranda Wang combined to win six events on the LPGA and Epson Tour this past season.
Boutier won four times, which tied for a LPGA best, while Maguire won once on the LPGA and Wang won on the Epson Tour.
Boutier won the Maybank Championship with a 21-under ledger, while also taking home The Amundi Evian Championship (14-under) and the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational in back-to-back weeks. She also won the LPGA Drive on Championship with a 20-under score. The Evian Championship was Boutier's first major championship.
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Maguire won the Meijer LPGA Classic with a 21-under score on the LPGA, while Wang won the IOA Championship with a 12-under ledger on the Epson Tour.
Maguire/Boutier Lead Europe to Solheim Cup Victory
For the second straight event, the Duke women's golf tandem of Celine Boutier and Leona Maguire led the Europe squad to a victory at the Solheim Cup at Finca Corstein in Spain.
All tied up, 8-8, heading into the final day of singles action, both teams concluded Sunday's play with a 14-14 ledger and Europe retained the cup since it had won the previous competition in 2021 in Toledo, Ohio.
Phoebe Brinker Wins ANNIKA Intercollegiate
Duke senior
Phoebe Brinker concluded the 2023 ANNIKA Intercollegiate in a tie for first place with an 8-under-par, 208 at the 6,395-yard, par-72 Royal Golf Club in Lake Elmo, Minn.
Brinker, who hails from Wilmington, Del., finished tied along with Florida State's Lottie Woad, Oregon's Kiara Romero and South Carolina's Louise Rydqvist. It marked her second overall individual victory as she also won the 2021 ACC Championship. Brinker placed tied for first a year ago in the Tar Heel Invitational, but lost in a playoff. She now owns nine career top-5 finishes along with 12 top-10 and 15 top-20 placements.
Rylie Heflin Wins Pennsylvania Amateur
Duke women's golf junior
Rylie Heflin registered a 4-under-par, 70, Wednesday and came-from-behind to win the Pennsylvania State Amateur at the Sunnehanna Country Club in Johnstown, Pa.
Heflin, who is from Avondale, Pa., headed into the final round three shots off the lead, but cut into it quickly by hitting her 8-iron from 150 yards to 20 feet and drained the eagle putt on hole No. 1. She played the next 15 holes at even par and was tied with Natasha Kiel at 1-under-par for the lead with two holes remaining. Heflin then connected on her second eagle of the day on hole No. 17 as she hit her 5-iron from 190 yards to 15 feet and made the putt, but Kiel matched her eagle. Both golfers parred No. 18 and went to a playoff.
On the first playoff hole, Heflin made a par and Kiel bogeyed to give Heflin the victory. Over the three days, Heflin registered rounds of 74, 77 and 70 for a 1-under, 221. Heflin's win comes a year after turning in a second-place ledger.
Five Blue Devils Earn WGCA All-American Scholar Accolades/Six Named to All-ACC Academic Team
Five members of the Duke women's golf team have received Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) All-American Scholar accolades following the 2022-23 campaign. Senior's
Megan Furtney and
Erica Shepherd, junior
Phoebe Brinker, sophomore
Rylie Heflin and freshman
Andie Smith were honored.
All six members of the Duke women's golf team were named to the All-ACC Academic team for women's golf on Tuesday, as announced by the league office.
Megan Furtney,
Erica Shepherd,
Phoebe Brinker,
Anne Chen,
Rylie Heflin and
Andie Smith all received honors.
Katie Li Wins AJGA Polo Golf Junior Classic
Duke's
Katie Li collected her fifth career American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) victory in June as she claimed the Polo Golf Junior Classic title with a 6&4 match play victory over Nikki Oh at the Bethpage State Park Black Course in Farmingdale, N.Y.
Phoebe Brinker Finishes as Low Amateur at Colorado Open
With rounds of 70, 71 and 73 over the last three days, Duke senior
Phoebe Brinker placed tied for 15th and finished as low amateur at the 2023 Inspirato Colorado Women's Open, which was played at the Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in Denver, Colo.
A native of Wilmington, Del., Brinker turned in 11 birdies over the 54 holes and carded a 2-under-par, 214, to finish one shot ahead of Ali Mulhall (215) for low amateur honors.
Emma McMyler Wins Women's Southern Amateur Championship
Duke graduate student transfer
Emma McMyler claimed the Women's Southern Amateur Championship in June at the Golf Club of Houston in her home state of Texas.
McMyler, hailing from San Antonio, Texas, registered the win over Grace Jin in 19 holes on Thursday to cap an impressive week of golf. In the championship match, McMyler made the turn 1UP, but Jin was able to tie the match on hole No. 14. McMyler regained the lead, 1UP, on hole No. 15 as she rolled in a 5-footer for birdie with three holes remaining. A par by Jin on No. 18 sent the match to extra holes.
On the first extra hole, McMyler hit her 50-degree wedge from 115 yards to 10 feet on the par-5 and converted the birdie to win the title.
Duke Advances to NCAA Championship for 32nd Time Under Dan Brooks
The Duke women's golf team participated in the NCAA Championship for the 33rd time under head coach
Dan Brooks. Duke advanced to the NCAA Championship for the 23rd time out of the last 26 years under Brooks.
Duke Wins Wolfpack Match Play Championship
The fourth-seeded Duke women's golf team closed the Wolfpack Match Play Invitational in April by defeating sixth-seeded North Carolina, 3-1-1, and capturing the championship at the Lonnie Poole Golf Course in Raleigh, N.C.
The Blue Devils totaled wins against fifth-seeded NC State (3-2), top-seeded South Carolina (3-2) and North Carolina (3-1-1) to register their first tournament win of the 2022-23 campaign. It also marked Duke head coach
Dan Brooks' 141st career victory with the Blue Devils, which continues to lead all NCAA Division I head coaches.