CALLAWASSIE ISLAND, S.C. – Led by individual medalist Mikayla Fitzpatrick, Xavier led from start to finish and captured the 2019 BIG EAST Women’s Golf Championship Presented by Jeep at the Callawassie Island Golf Club. The title is the Musketeers’ first as a member of the BIG EAST.
As the winner of the BIG EAST Championship, Xavier earns an automatic berth to the NCAA Championship.
Xavier registered a team score of 298 in the second and third rounds after a 306 in the first round. Fitzpatrick, a junior from Phoenix, Ariz., shot an even-par 216. She shot a 73 on the final day after a 4-under-par 68 in the second round, the lowest score recorded by a BIG EAST female golfer at Callawassie Island. The 68 also tied for the second lowest score in BIG EAST Women’s Golf Championship history.
Georgetown took second place, 14 strokes behind Xavier with a score of 916. Seton Hall finished third, two strokes behind the Hoyas at 918. St. John’s took fourth place (939) followed by Creighton (958) and Butler (991).
The Musketeers showed their depth with three other golfers finishing in the top eight. Senior Mikayla Smith tied for fourth with a 12-over-par 228. Sophomore Andie Shukow and graduate student Lyndsey Hunnell tied for eighth place at 14-over-par 230. Sophomore Morgan Tinsley took 16th at 21-over-par 237.
“All year, we were scoring well one through nine,” said Xavier head coach Breanna Jenco of her team’s depth, “and that’s what we did here at this tournament. We were solid all the way through.”
Xavier went into the third round with a seven-stroke lead over second-place Georgetown. The Hoyas, who won the last two conference crowns, were led by senior Christina Parsells who took third place with a 10-over-par 226 after tying for second in last year’s Championship. Junior Ashley Fitzgibbons finished seventh at 229 (+13). She tied for ninth place last year.
Seton Hall had the tournament runner-up, junior Lizzie Win, who shot a 9-over-par 225. She shot 78 in the final round. Last year, Win finished in a tie for fourth place. Junior Carolina Ronchel was in a three-way tie for fourth place at 228 (+12).
St. John’s moved up one spot in the standings with a strong showing in the final round. Freshman Jessie Kweon shot one-under-par 71, the best round of the day by any player. Junior Kaitleen Shee finished at even-par 72 and Linda Wang was at one-over-par 73.
Creighton was led by freshman Katie Allen, who finished 10th. Her 15-over-par 231 was the best overall score by a freshman, one stroke better than St. John’s Kweon.
Butler’s top finishers were senior Lauren Tibbets and sophomore Katelyn Le, who tied for 18th at 239 (+23). Tibbets was the 2017 BIG EAST individual champion.
Team Standings – Final
- Xavier 306-298-298—902 (+38)
- Georgetown 312-299-305---916 (+52)
- Seton Hall 311-303-304---918 (+54)
- St. John’s 324-323-292---939 (+76)
- Creighton 323-319-316---958 (+93)
- Butler 338-338-326—991 (+126)
Individual Leaders – Final
1. Mikayla Fitzpatrick, Xavier 75-68-73—216 (E)
2. Lizzie Win, Seton Hall 74-73-78—225 (+9)
3. Christina Parsells, Georgetown 79-72-75—226 (+10)
T4. Maddie Sager, Seton Hall 80-75-73—228 (+12)
T4. Mikayla Smith, Xavier 79-74-75—228 (+12)
T4. Carolina Ronchel, Seton Hall 79-75-74—228 (+12)
7. Ashley Fitzgibbons, Georgetown 75-76-78—229 (+13)
T8. Andie Shukow, Xavier 77-78-75—230 (+14)
T8. Lyndsey Hunnell, Xavier 75-80-75—230 (+14)
10. Katie Allen, Creighton 78-75-78—231 (+15)