Women’s Golf Begins Byrd Era in TennesseeWomen’s Golf Begins Byrd Era in Tennessee

Women’s Golf Begins Byrd Era in Tennessee

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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Women's Golf begins the 2022-23 fall season at the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Sept. 19-20). Entering the fall receiving a vote in the WGCA Preseason Coaches Poll, the Boilermakers tee off against 13 other teams in the first tournament under head coach Zack Byrd.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Monday, Sept. 19: Rounds 1 and 2 (8:30 a.m. ET Shotgun Start)
Tuesday, Sept. 20: Round 3 (8:45 a.m. ET Shotgun Start)
 
THE LINEUP
Momo Sugiyama – So.
  • Making her first appearance as a Boilermaker but playing in her 12th collegiate tournament
  • Transferred to Purdue after earning First Team All-Big West accolades as a freshman at Hawaii
  • Set new Hawaii single-season records for stroke average (73.4), rounds of par-or-better (13), birdies (85) and 54-hole score (211)
  • Captured the individual title at the Couer d'Alene Collegiate, where she carded a 1-under 212 total that included a final round 3-under 69
  • Cracked the Top 10 in eight of the 11 tournaments
Danielle du Toit – Sr.
  • Making her 35th appearance as a Boilermaker, the most on the team
  • Won a men's tournament over the summer, capturing the IGA Challenge Tour's Road to #5 at Akasia Golf Club in her home country of South Africa
  • Led Purdue at the 2022 NCAA Stanford Regional, tying for 14th with a season-low 215 (71-73-71)
  • Produced the low round eight times during the season, including two of the three rounds at the Big Ten Championship (April 22-24)
  • Earned Second Team All-Big Ten honors as a freshman during the 2018-19 season
Jocelyn Bruch – R-Fr.
  • Making her 11th appearance as a Boilermaker
  • Played in 10 tournaments, recording a 76.52 stroke average last season
  • Tied for ninth at the 2022 Michigan PGA Women's Open over the summer, competing against professionals; her performance featured a hole-in-one during the opening round
  • Started last spring by going 3-0 in Big Ten Match Play, helping Purdue finish runner-up
  • Earned Academic All-Big Ten accolades
Sifat Sagoo – Jr.
  • Making her 20th appearance as a Boilermaker, holding a career stroke average of 74.45
  • Played in seven tournaments, recording a 76.21 stroke average a season ago
  • Tied for 19th at the NCAA Stanford Regional with a season-low 217 (69-76-72) that included a team-best 69 (-2) in the opening round; the Top-20 finish was her best of the season
  • Earned Academic All-Big Ten honors
  • Recorded a team-best 73.60 stroke average during the 2021 spring season
Jade Gu – R-Fr.
  • Won the first qualifier to secure her spot in the lineup
  • Finished runner-up at the 2022 Pennsylvania Women's Am
  • Tied for 16th at the 2022 Canadian Women's Am
  • Redshirted a season ago
THE FIELD (Rankings – WGCA Preseason Coaches Poll)
Augusta
BYU
Chattanooga
Kent State
Maryland
Mercer
Michigan
Michigan State
Purdue
Tennessee
UCF
#10 Virginia
Virginia Tech
Wake Forest
 
THE COURSE
  • Situated on the banks of the Tennessee River in West Knoxville, Cherokee Country Club is a par 71 that plays either 5,844 yards or 5,930 yards.
  • Founded in 1907, Cherokee is Knoxville's oldest and most prestigious golf course and country club.
  • The course was originally designed by Donald Ross, in his time considered to be one of America's outstanding golf course architects; the spacious clubhouse stands above the scenic Tennessee River, with a breathtaking view of the Great Smoky Mountains.
HISTORY AT THE TOURNAMENT
  • Purdue will be making its 10th appearance in the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship, but its first since 2012 when current LPGA Boilermaker Paula Reto captured medalist honors.
  • The Boilermakers have produced four Top-3 finishes in its history at the event, including a team title in 2001.
  • During the 2001 victory, a five-shot victory over Auburn, Kari Damron led the way as medalist and Caroline Laurens produced a top-five performance of her own.
  • Purdue was tournament runner-up in 2005 and 2007, while the 2012 Boilermakers placed third.
NEW LEADERS
  • Following the retirement of legendary coach Devon Brouse, Zack Byrd was named the new head coach of Purdue Women's Golf.
  • One of the top recruiters in the country, Byrd made the move to West Lafayette after spending four seasons at Ole Miss.
  • Byrd helped the Rebels capture the 2021 NCAA National Championship, the first women's team national championship in Ole Miss history.
  • Prior to beginning his coaching career, Byrd spent 10 years as a professional golfer; his career featured an appearance in the 2011 U.S. Open and qualifying for the final stage of PGA Tour Q School.
  • Byrd hired Lauren Guiao as assistant coach; Guiao made the move to coaching and returned to the program after playing in 20 tournaments over her Purdue career (2017-21).
PRESEASON B1G HONOREES
  • A trio of Boilermakers were named Big Ten Preseason Women's Golf Honorees, the conference office announced ahead of the season. Kan Bunnabodee, Danielle du Toit and Ashley Kozlowski received the recognition.
  • Bunnabodee earned First Team All-Big Ten honors a season ago, becoming the first Boilermaker to land on the league's first team since 2018; she will miss the fall due to injury.
  • Du Toit is the veteran of the group, playing in 34 tournaments as a Boilermaker; she played her best golf late last spring and looks to continue that momentum into her senior season.
  • Kozlowski played in a team-high 12 tournaments during the 2021-22 campaign; the Littleton, Colorado, native led the Boilermakers in birdies (86) and pars (379) throughout the season.
2021-22 RECAP
  • The Boilermakers made a thrilling postseason run to send off longtime coach Devon Brouse at the NCAA Championships, finishing 12th at the national stage.
  • Purdue advanced to the NCAA Championships after tying for fourth at the NCAA Stanford Regional; the Boilermakers went to a sudden death playoff with Northwestern for the final qualifying spot and emerged victorious over the Wildcats.
  • The Boilermakers got revenge on the Wildcats after Northwestern beat Purdue in the final of Big Ten Match Play; the runner-up finish was Purdue's best showing of the season.
  • Purdue recorded a pair of third-place performances at the Illini Invitational and the Indiana Invitational.
  • Kan Bunnabodee (First Team) and Inez Wanamarta (Second Team) earned All-Big Ten honors.
  • Six golfers were named Academic All-Big Ten: Daniela Ballesteros, Jocelyn Bruch, Kan Bunnabodee, Ashley Kozlowski, Sifat Sagoo and Inez Wanamarta.
FROM THE ISLAND TO THE MAINLAND
  • Head coach Zack Byrd made a splash in his first month at Purdue, bringing in First Team All-Big West golfer Momo Sugiyama from Hawaii.
  • The Gold Coast, Australia, native set four school records in her lone season on the island, including scoring average (73.4), total birdies (85), rounds of par-or-better (13) and 54-hole total (211).
  • As a freshman, Sugiyama led the Rainbow Wahine to the first conference championship in school history.
  • Sugiyama finished in the Top 10 in eight of her 11 tournament appearances.
MISSING ALL-B1G GOLFERS
  • Purdue enters the fall without two All-Big Ten golfers from a season ago.
  • Kan Bunnabodee, the first Boilermaker to earn first team honors since 2018, will miss the fall after getting surgery over the summer.
  • The Boilermakers lost Inez Wanamarta, Second Team All-B1G, to graduation.
  • While Bunnabodee looks to be 100 percent in the spring, Wanamarta leaves a void as a three-time All-B1G golfer.
  • Wanamarta played in 47 tournaments as a Boilermaker, finishing her career ranked fourth in program history in career stroke average (73.77); she placed ninth at the 2022 NCAA Championships, leading the team in her final tournament for Purdue.
A LOOK AT THE SCHEDULE
  • The Boilermakers are set to travel the country, playing in 10 different states throughout the season.
  • The 2022-23 slate features four tournaments in the fall before six spring tournaments prep Purdue for the Big Ten Championship and NCAA Regionals.
  • Following the season-opening tournament, the Boilermakers head to Illinois for back-to-back weeks.
NEXT ON THE TEE
  • Purdue returns to the Windy City Collegiate Classic (Oct. 3-4) for the ninth straight season, with this year's event taking place at Exmoor Country Club.