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Li Places T4th to Pace Blue Devils at ANNIKA Intercollegiate
9/11/2024 8:17:00 PM | Women's Golf
LAKE ELMO, Minn. – Duke women's golf sophomore Katie Li carded a final round of 2-under, 70, Wednesday on her way to placing tied for fourth at the season-opening ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M, which was contested at the 6,395-yard, par-72 Royal Golf Club in Lake Elmo.
Li, a native of Basking Ridge, N.J., fired rounds of 66, 75 and 70 over 54 holes to finish with a 5-under, 211. It marked her second career top-5 finish and second-best 54-hole score in her short time as a Blue Devil. Li posted her 15th career round of even or under par out of 34 career rounds.
As a team, Duke turned in a fifth-place finish with rounds of 291, 286 and 289 for a 2-over, 866. It marked the sixth time the Blue Devils have finished fifth or better at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate out of nine appearances.
How It Happened
Notes
What is Next
To stay up to date with Blue Devils women's golf, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWGOLF".
Duke Centennial
In 2024, Duke celebrates its Centennial, marking one hundred years since Trinity College became Duke University. Duke will use this historic milestone to deepen the understanding of its history, inspire pride and strengthen bonds and partnerships, and prepare for a second century of continued excellence and impactful leadership. To learn more, please visit 100.duke.edu
#GoDuke
Li, a native of Basking Ridge, N.J., fired rounds of 66, 75 and 70 over 54 holes to finish with a 5-under, 211. It marked her second career top-5 finish and second-best 54-hole score in her short time as a Blue Devil. Li posted her 15th career round of even or under par out of 34 career rounds.
As a team, Duke turned in a fifth-place finish with rounds of 291, 286 and 289 for a 2-over, 866. It marked the sixth time the Blue Devils have finished fifth or better at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate out of nine appearances.
How It Happened
- Katie Li led the charge in the final round for the Blue Devils with a 2-under, 70. She had a hot start to her round as she sank a 30-footer for birdie on the 320-yard, par-4 third hole and then drained a 15-foot birdie on No. 5 from the fringe to get to 2-under. After her lone bogey on No. 8 where she missed the green, Li parred the next nine holes. At the par-5 No. 18, Li had 155 yards to the green with her second shot and used an 8-iron to hit to 15 feet for eagle. She 2-putted for birdie to close her round. Li hit 14 greens, 11 fairways and rolled 31 putts.
- Senior Rylie Heflin finished the week with scores of 72, 73 and 72 for a career-best 1-over, 217, which was tied for 16th.It marked her second career top-20 finish and the first at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate.In the final round, Heflin opened the day with an impressive sand save for par on No. 1 and then placed her 58-degree wedge on No. 2 to 10 feet for birdie to move to 1-under.The Avondale, Pa., product parred 10 out of the next 11 holes with a bogey in the middle and a couple of up-and-downs as well.After back-to-back bogeys on No. 14 and No. 15, Heflin rolled in a 20-footer for birdie on No. 16 and then hit her 58-degree wedge from 68 yards to two feet for birdie on No. 18.
- Coming off matching a career-best 7-under, 65, the day before, junior Andie Smith posted a 3-over, 75, in the final round en route to finishing tied for 23rd with a 3-over, 219.On Wednesday, Smith opened with three bogeys over her first eight holes, before 2-putting for birdie on the 504-yard, par-5 ninth hole.Smith, who is from Hobe Sound, Fla., went on to par eight of the nine holes on the back nine along with a bogey on No. 17.She hit 12 fairways, nine greens, had 30 putts and six up-and-downs on the day.
- In her first collegiate tournament, Anna Cañado Espinal tied for 39th with rounds of 74, 73 and 77 for a 224. She had a solid start to her day as she struck her approach on the par-5 second hole to a foot for birdie. After making the turn at even-par, 36, she closed the day with a 5-over, 41, on the back.
- Rookie Carla De Troia closed her first event as a Blue Devil in impressive fashion with an even-par, 72.She parred the first three holes and then suffered bogeys over the next three.A product of Paris, France, De Troia then drained a 10-footer for birdie on the 150-yard, par-3 seventh hole.Then on the par-5 ninth, she used her 58-degree wedge from the side of the green and chipped in for her first collegiate eagle to move back to even par.De Troia played her final nine holes at even par with five pars, two birdies and two bogeys.She had her putter working for her birdies on No. 11 and No. 15 as she drained two 23-foot putts.
- South Carolina won the team title with an 833, while Oregon (860), Wake Forest (861), Arizona State (862) and Duke (866) rounded out the top five.Hannah Darling of South Carolina won the individual title with a 14-under, 202.
Notes
- Rylie Heflin hit 12 greens, 11 fairways and rolled 30 putts in the final round. She led the Blue Devils on the week with 12 birdies.
- Carla De Troia hit 13 greens, 13 fairways and had 31 putts on Wednesday.
- De Troia improved her score each day of the tournament.
- The Blue Devils finished the week with 45 birdies, which ranked fifth overall.
- Anna Cañado Espinal played holes No. 1-9 at 1-under-par through 54 holes.
- Katie Li tied for second among the field with 38 pars.
- "I am very happy.Obviously tied fourth in such a strong field, I am very proud of myself for that.It is also a great kickstart to a season ahead and also the spring season.Starting off on a good note, I couldn't be happier."-- Duke sophomore Katie Li on her tied for fourth finish
- "I am proud of the team, not just because of how we finished, because we were just having fun the whole week and always staying positive – I am very proud of us for that. Top five in such a strong field is a good note. Definitely more to improve on, but we have a base to layer off of." -- Duke sophomore Katie Li
- "We had a good tournament. I loved the effort, everyone contributed to our scoring, everyone fought hard all three days.And, South Carolina set a high bar for the season.So, this early tournament served great purposes for us." -- Duke head coach Dan Brooks
What is Next
- Duke will next compete in the Windy City Collegiate Sept. 30 to Oct. 1 at the Westmoreland Country Club in Golf, Ill.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils women's golf, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWGOLF".
Duke Centennial
In 2024, Duke celebrates its Centennial, marking one hundred years since Trinity College became Duke University. Duke will use this historic milestone to deepen the understanding of its history, inspire pride and strengthen bonds and partnerships, and prepare for a second century of continued excellence and impactful leadership. To learn more, please visit 100.duke.edu
#GoDuke
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