The Furman women’s golf team entered the season looking to defend their Southern Conference title for the third year in a row at their April 14-16 championship tournament. Throughout the year, head coach Jeff Hull’s squad of seven was in heated competition for the tournament roster spots, leading to great play individually and as a team.
This season has been one of dominance all season for the Dins. The way the team has performed all season long, a repeat title is not out of the question. Contributions this year have come from everyone, with each woman making her mark on the season and adding to the team’s success.
Hull welcomed multiple new faces into the squad this season, all freshmen, including Audrey Ryu, Kelsi Mauzy and Katie Ireland. Ryu was immediately slotted into the tournament roster and did not disappoint. Her five-under-par score was a Paladin best in the Cougar Classic back on Sept. 11-12.
To round out the lineup for the Dins, the team’s lone sophomore Liza Lapeyre along with upperclassmen Anna Morgan, Caroline Crumrine and Alise Knudson lead the way.
As for fifth-year Morgan, her success as a Din continued to trend upward. She took the top spot at the Lady Puerto Rico Classic by two strokes, securing her seventh individual title in her Furman career. Her 10-under overall score included a final-round 67 with five birdies in the round.
Ryu and Morgan shined early on in September, bringing the Lady Paladin Invitational title home with their top-five finishes and a combined score of five-under for the tournament. The two also finished in the top 20 at The Show at Spanish Trail on March 4 and 5. Their most impressive outing came at the Clemson Invitational on March 22-24, where Morgan finished third at seven-under, while Ryu came in fourth at five-under.
There has been growth on the back end of the lineup as well. In particular, Knudson has found herself squarely in the tournament lineups throughout the year. Her success at the Lady Puerto Rico Open solidified her spot in the top five for the remaining season, especially for the Southern Conference (SoCon) tournament.
Moreover, Crumrine, who is going into her fourth SoCon tournament, will bring experience to the team while looking to break through in this season’s final event.
The future looks bright beyond Ryu’s stellar play. Mauzy’s tournament experience this year will hopefully propel her even further in the coming years. As demonstrated by his recruitment of Morgan and Ryu, it is clear that Coach Hull builds his winning culture around confidence and capability rather than age.
The Women’s Southern Conference Championship will take place on the Moss Creek South Course in Hilton Head, S.C. from April 14-16. The other eight conference teams will aim to de-thrown the three-time champs. With focus and an infectious attitude for repeated achievement, the Dins can make it a four-peat and cement themselves as the conference’s best.
