Upcoming Event: Women's Golf versus Ruth's Chris Tar Heel Invitational on October 17, 2025
Women's Golf
vs Ruth's Chris Tar Heel Invitational
Photo by: Duke Athletics
Espinal Claims Chattanooga Classic Individual Title
3/29/2025 11:00:00 PM | Women's Golf
OOLTEWAH, Tenn. – Duke women's golf freshman Anna Cañado Espinal claimed her first collegiate title Saturday as she carded a 1-over-par, 217, at the Chattanooga Classic, which was being held at the 6,180-yard, par-72 The Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tenn.
A native of Barcelona, Spain, Espinal turned in rounds of 68, 76 and 73 as she battled high winds the last two days. Espinal is the 20th freshman to win an event in Duke history.
Duke also featured junior Andie Smith (T14) and freshman Carla De Troia (T18) in the top 20 of the individual leaderboard.
HOW IT HAPPENED – SECOND ROUND
HOW IT HAPPENED – THIRD ROUND
NOTES
QUOTES
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".
#GoDuke
Duke Results
Anna Cañado Espinal 68-76-73=217 (1, +1)
Andie Smith 77-75-71=223 (T14, +7)
Carla De Troia 80-75-69=224 (T18, +8)
Katie Li 76-77-76=229 (T35, +13)
Rylie Heflin 79-81-80=240 (T72, +24)
*Martina Yu 80-80-79=239 (71, +23)
A native of Barcelona, Spain, Espinal turned in rounds of 68, 76 and 73 as she battled high winds the last two days. Espinal is the 20th freshman to win an event in Duke history.
Duke also featured junior Andie Smith (T14) and freshman Carla De Troia (T18) in the top 20 of the individual leaderboard.
HOW IT HAPPENED – SECOND ROUND
- Entering the second round with the individual lead, Anna Cañado Espinal had a slow start Saturday morning with three bogeys over her first seven holes. Espinal though regrouped and played the next 11 holes at 2-under with birdies on No. 12, No. 13, No. 17 and No. 1. Heading into the final hole, No. 4, she held a 1-over-par score, but Espinal suffered a triple-bogey to finish with a 76. She held a one stroke lead, individually, entering round three.
- Rookie Carla De Troia posted a 3-over, 75.In the shotgun start, De Troia opened on hole No. 8 and moved to 1-under early with a birdie on the 365-yard, par-4 No. 10. She struggled on the way in dropping four shots and finishing with a 75.
- After opening with an even-par score through four holes, junior Andie Smith dropped four shots on the back nine. She was able to get a couple of shots back on holes No. 1 and No. 2 as she dialed in her irons by sticking it to three feet and six feet for birdie. Smith then parred three out of the final four holes, while suffering a bogey on No. 4 to finish with a 75.
- Sophomore Katie Li turned in a 5-over, 77, in round two as she posted one birdie on the front (No. 2) and one on the back nine (No. 17). She reached the par-5 17th hole in two and 2-putted for birdie, while draining a 12-footer for birdie on the second hole.
- Senior Rylie Heflin had an 81, while Martina Yu signed for an 80.
HOW IT HAPPENED – THIRD ROUND
- Anna Cañado Espinal had a hot start to her final round as she extended her lead early with four birdies over her first 12 holes. She collected birdies on No. 9, No. 12, No. 14 and No. 16. Sitting at 4-under for the day with six holes remaining, Espinal dropped five shots to close action, but still held on to win her first collegiate title by two strokes.
- After opening her final round with a bogey on No. 7, Andie Smith was able to collect two birdies in a row on No. 10 and No. 11. A product of Hobe Sound, Fla., Smith hit her 54-degree wedge from 84 yards and had a tap-in birdie on No. 10 and then rolled in a 10-foot birdie on No. 11. She suffered a bogey on No. 12, drained a 12-footer for birdie on No. 14 and bogeyed No. 15 to return to even for the afternoon. Smith parred eight of her final nine holes along with rolling in a 30-foot downhill putt for birdie on the 160-yard, par-3 third hole. She finished with a 1-under, 71 and concluded the tournament in a tie for 14th.
- Rookie Carla De Troia tied a career-best 18-hole score in the final round by firing a 3-under, 69, as she registered a career-high six birdies. After opening with a par on No. 8, she posted birdies on No. 9, No. 13 and No. 14 to get to 3-under.She bogeyed No. 15, but got the shot back on No. 16 with a birdie. De Troia, who hails from Paris, France, added two more birdies on the first and second holes to get to 5-under for the day. She dropped two shots over the final five holes to finish with a 69.
- Katie Li opened her third round with by sinking a 15-foot birdie on the par-5 sixth hole and then went on to play the next 14 holes at even par with three birdies and three bogeys. Unfortunately, she dropped five shots over her final three holes to finish with a 4-over, 76.
- Rylie Heflin had two birdies on the afternoon and finished with an 80.
- Playing as an individual, Martina Yu notched a career-high three birdies and signed for a 79.
NOTES
- As a team, Duke finished fifth overall with rounds of 300, 303 and 289 for an 892.Florida won the team title with an 880, while Virginia (889), Wisconsin (890) and North Carolina (890) rounded out the top five teams.
- Anna Cañado Espinal led the field with a 4-under score on par-3 holes, while Katie Li led with a 6-under score on par-5 holes.
- Duke led the field with 46 birdies over the three rounds.
- Espinal's 13 birdies led the tournament and Li's 12 birdies ranked tied for second.
- Andie Smith posted her team-best 10th round of the season of even or under par. Smith posted six up-and-downs over the final two rounds.
- Carla De Troia notched her third round in the 60s and seventh round of even or under par.
- Espinal is the second Blue Devil to win this season as Andie Smith notched the individual title at the Ruth's Chris Tar Heel Invitational this past fall.
QUOTES
- "I'm real proud of Anna. For a freshman to get her first college win on a windy Honors Course is very special. It's a great, Pete Dye golf course. The golf was difficult, plain and simple.What a great win for Anna. Carla and Andie also finished up the tournament very well, on a long 36-hole final day, going under par their last round.As a team, the finish wasn't great but we keep showing all the right stuff, in tough conditions, in extended moments of time. I'm excited for the post season." – Duke head coach Dan Brooks
WHAT IS NEXT
- Duke will next compete in the ACC Championship April 16-19 at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils women's golf, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWGOLF".
#GoDuke
Duke Results
Anna Cañado Espinal 68-76-73=217 (1, +1)
Andie Smith 77-75-71=223 (T14, +7)
Carla De Troia 80-75-69=224 (T18, +8)
Katie Li 76-77-76=229 (T35, +13)
Rylie Heflin 79-81-80=240 (T72, +24)
*Martina Yu 80-80-79=239 (71, +23)
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
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/ Women's Golf
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