RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico – Sophomore Jasmine Kahler fired a 3-under 69, tying for seventh on the individual leaderboard with a season-low 214 (-2), to lead Purdue Women's Golf at the Purdue Puerto Rico Classic. The Boilermakers (+14) were the biggest movers during the final round, vaulting three spots to finish 10th after carding a 1-over 289 for the second straight day at Grand Reserve Golf Club.
Hosting a stacked field that featured six teams ranked in the Top 25, Purdue entered the tournament as the 10th seed. Bouncing back from the opening round (+12), the Boilermakers played the final 36 holes just 2-over to rank fifth among the field over the final two rounds.
Kahler was the biggest reason for Purdue's improvement, as the California native went 4-under in the last 36 holes herself. She matched her career low with the final round 69, rebounding from a bogey-bogey start. Kahler did not make a bogey over her final 16 holes, while making five birdies along the way. After back-to-back birdies on Nos. 9 and 10, she parred her last hole to break 70 and record the Boilermakers' lowest round of the tournament. In the elite field, the sophomore's seventh-place performance was already the fourth Top 10 of her career.
Sugiyama had a rough start of her own on Tuesday, but just like Kahler, she bounced back to post her best round over the three days of play. She opened with a double bogey at No. 13, following that with a bogey at the par-4 14th. However, the Australian righted the ship with five straight pars. She made her first birdie at the par-5 second and took advantage of the other par-5 on the front side, the fifth, for another birdie. Sugiyama made two more birdies over her final five holes, working her way back to even for a 72.
Jocelyn Bruch and Samantha Brown both shot 74 (+2) during the final round. Bruch birdied two of her first three holes and got as low as 2-under on her day at one point. Following a pair of difficult holes, she parred seven of her last eight to card her best round in Puerto Rico. Brown shot an identical score from her second round, finishing the tournament strong after a tough first day.
Up next, Purdue tees it up at the Spartan Sun Coast Invitational in Sarasota, Florida (Feb. 16-17).
BOILERMAKERS
T7. Jasmine Kahler: 74-71-69—214 (-2)
T32. Momo Sugiyama: 74-73-72—219 (+3)
T61. Natasha Kiel: 77-71-77—225 (+9)
T61. Jocelyn Bruch: 75-76-74—225 (+9)
89. Samantha Brown: 83-74-74—231 (+15)
*T61. Lauren Timpf: 71-78-76—225 (+9)
*97. Michaela Headlee: 83-80-76—239 (+23)
*Competing as an individual
TEAM LEADERBOARD
1. #2 Arkansas: 292-280-274—846 (-18)
T2. #19 Ole Miss: 284-286-288—858 (-6)
T2. Vanderbilt: 283-282-293—858 (-6)
4. #9 Northwestern: 290-283-288—861 (-3)
5. #22 Michigan State: 287-294-285—866 (+2)
T6. #20 Auburn: 290-290-290—870 (+6)
T5. #16 LSU: 290-290-290—870 (+6)
8. Kansas State: 294-287-293—874 (+10)
9. Georgia Southern: 293-292-291—876 (+12)
10. Purdue: 300-289-289—878 (+14)
11. Iowa State: 296-291-295—882 (+18)
12. North Texas: 297-290-297—884 (+20)
13. North Florida: 289-299-302—890 (+26)
14. Furman: 293-299-299—891 (+27)
T15. Minnesota: 305-292-300—897 (+33)
T15. UTSA: 305-298-294—897 (+33)
17. Kent State: 305-296-300—901 (+37)
18. UNCW: 305-302-304—911 (+47)
Hosting a stacked field that featured six teams ranked in the Top 25, Purdue entered the tournament as the 10th seed. Bouncing back from the opening round (+12), the Boilermakers played the final 36 holes just 2-over to rank fifth among the field over the final two rounds.
Kahler was the biggest reason for Purdue's improvement, as the California native went 4-under in the last 36 holes herself. She matched her career low with the final round 69, rebounding from a bogey-bogey start. Kahler did not make a bogey over her final 16 holes, while making five birdies along the way. After back-to-back birdies on Nos. 9 and 10, she parred her last hole to break 70 and record the Boilermakers' lowest round of the tournament. In the elite field, the sophomore's seventh-place performance was already the fourth Top 10 of her career.
Sugiyama had a rough start of her own on Tuesday, but just like Kahler, she bounced back to post her best round over the three days of play. She opened with a double bogey at No. 13, following that with a bogey at the par-4 14th. However, the Australian righted the ship with five straight pars. She made her first birdie at the par-5 second and took advantage of the other par-5 on the front side, the fifth, for another birdie. Sugiyama made two more birdies over her final five holes, working her way back to even for a 72.
Jocelyn Bruch and Samantha Brown both shot 74 (+2) during the final round. Bruch birdied two of her first three holes and got as low as 2-under on her day at one point. Following a pair of difficult holes, she parred seven of her last eight to card her best round in Puerto Rico. Brown shot an identical score from her second round, finishing the tournament strong after a tough first day.
Up next, Purdue tees it up at the Spartan Sun Coast Invitational in Sarasota, Florida (Feb. 16-17).
BOILERMAKERS
T7. Jasmine Kahler: 74-71-69—214 (-2)
T32. Momo Sugiyama: 74-73-72—219 (+3)
T61. Natasha Kiel: 77-71-77—225 (+9)
T61. Jocelyn Bruch: 75-76-74—225 (+9)
89. Samantha Brown: 83-74-74—231 (+15)
*T61. Lauren Timpf: 71-78-76—225 (+9)
*97. Michaela Headlee: 83-80-76—239 (+23)
*Competing as an individual
TEAM LEADERBOARD
1. #2 Arkansas: 292-280-274—846 (-18)
T2. #19 Ole Miss: 284-286-288—858 (-6)
T2. Vanderbilt: 283-282-293—858 (-6)
4. #9 Northwestern: 290-283-288—861 (-3)
5. #22 Michigan State: 287-294-285—866 (+2)
T6. #20 Auburn: 290-290-290—870 (+6)
T5. #16 LSU: 290-290-290—870 (+6)
8. Kansas State: 294-287-293—874 (+10)
9. Georgia Southern: 293-292-291—876 (+12)
10. Purdue: 300-289-289—878 (+14)
11. Iowa State: 296-291-295—882 (+18)
12. North Texas: 297-290-297—884 (+20)
13. North Florida: 289-299-302—890 (+26)
14. Furman: 293-299-299—891 (+27)
T15. Minnesota: 305-292-300—897 (+33)
T15. UTSA: 305-298-294—897 (+33)
17. Kent State: 305-296-300—901 (+37)
18. UNCW: 305-302-304—911 (+47)