by Eva Dean Folkert
You know it's been a very good tournament weekend when your team puts up its best score in four years in the first round and then places four of its five players in the top 10 after the second round.
For Coach Greg Stafford, his Hope College women's golf team's victory at the Kyle Campbell Invitational was all of that and more on Saturday. The Flying Dutch bested the 15-team field with a 638 (315-323) which was a whopping 22 strokes better than second-place Saint Mary's College (660).
It was Hope's first win since 2015 at the two-day event hosted by Olivet College at The Medalist Golf Club in Marshall, Michigan. That year, the Flying Dutch put up a 667 (328-339).
Kyle Campbell Invitational Website
"We really played the way we're capable of playing," said Stafford. "Yesterday we hit spots. The Medalist can overwhelm golfers and it's not the length at all; it's about targets. Yesterday we hit a ton of spots. Today we started out very, very rough. It did not look good at first. But the thing I'm most proud of today is not the score itself but that 323 today was earned. Those women got down, battled and fought hard, and it was just wonderful to see."
Junior Grace VanDellen of Oxford, Michigan (Lutheran Northwest) led Hope and finished fourth individually with rounds of 76-81 (157). She was followed by senior Megan Jenkinson of Traverse City, Michigan (Traverse City West) who finished tied for sixth by carding rounds of 79-80 (159). Sophomores Emlin Munch, also of Traverse City (Traverse City Central) and Abby Fansler of Muskegon, Michigan (Muskegon Reeth-Puffer) tied for ninth place with 161 totals. Munch went 79-82 and Fansler shot 80-81. Senior Megan Radaz of Alma, Michigan (Alma) finished with tied for 33rd place with a 171 total (87-84).
Playing as an individual, junior Rita Cheney of Mason, Michigan (Mason) fired rounds of 73-89 (162) and finished in a tie for 11th individually.
The Flying Dutch won twice last weekend in dual matches against Albion College. Hope now takes its three-event win streak into the first MIAA Jamboree hosted by Albion at Duck Lake Country Club on Tuesday, Sept. 14. Tee off is 1 p.m.
