Both of the Elon University golf teams found the top of the leaderboard in their fall tournaments this past weekend. The women grabbed a title and the men rallied for a fourth-place finish.
The women’s team, led by first-place finisher Kelsey Badmaev, clinched the top spot at the William and Mary Invitational on Tuesday in Williamsburg, Va. The Phoenix shot 883 (300-285-298), finishing with a 21-stroke lead over the competition. This is the team’s third title in its last five tournaments.
Badmaev, a sophomore from Blythewood, S.C., claimed her first career medalist honor with a three-round mark of 216 (75-70-71). She clinched the individual crown with a 1-under par 71 in the final round to put her at even par on the day. Badmaev also shot a career-low 70, carded one of two eagles recorded at the event and had 11 birdies on the weekend.
Elon freshman Heather Munro also finished at the top of the pack with a fourth-place tie in her first collegiate event. She shot 219 (73-67-79), averaging 4.83 on par-5s and tied for the most birdies in the field of 70 players with 13.
The Phoenix saw similar success on the men’s side in Chapel Hill as the team worked its way up the leaderboard in the final round of action at the Tar Heel Intercollegiate on Sunday. In the final round, senior Will Dilanni carded a career-low, 7-under par 65 to bring the Phoenix from a tie for seventh to a tie for fourth with a team three-round score of 864 (293-281-290).
Dilanni posted a 214 (74-74-65) placing in a 14th place tie out of 100 players on the field. Starting out with three consecutive birdies, Dilanni finished the front nine at six-under and added two more birdies to finish the round at 65. He tallied 12 total birdies at the event.
Elon junior Jonathan Dilanni also found success on the links, finishing in a tie for 23rd with a 217 (73-69-75). Charlie May finished just under the top half in the event, his collegiate debut. He tied for 52nd and shot 222 (75-69-78), recording one birdie over his last 18 holes.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill claimed the team title with a three-round team score of 838 (273-277-288) led by Ben Griffin, who clinched individual medalist honors by two strokes with a 19-under 206 (67-69-70).
The women’s team will compete later this month at the Forest Oaks Fall Classic hosted by the University of North Carolina at Greensboro on Sept. 29-30.
The men’s team will be back on the links at the Rees Jones Invitational in Daufuskie Island, S.C. from Sept. 21-23.