Sunday, February 18
Palm Aire Champs Course (Sarasota, Fla.)
All Day
Michigan State University
vs
Spartan Sun Coast Invitational
Women’s Golf Hosts Spartan Sun Coast Invitational on Sunday and Monday
2/16/2024 2:45:00 PM | Women's Golf
East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State's women's golf team is back out on the course this weekend, hosting the Spartan SunCoast Invitational at the Palm Aires Champions Course in Sarasota, Fla.
The two-day, 54-hole tournament will be held at the par-72, 6,191-yard Palm Aires Champions Course. Teams will play 36 holes on Sunday, Feb. 18 with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start and the tournament concludes on Monday, Feb. 19 (8:30 a.m. shotgun).
The Palm Aire Champions Course was designed by renowned architect Dick Wilson in 1957 and updated by architect Michael Benkusky in 2021. Palm Aire is a members only privately run club which has played host to several PGA and LPGA events over its storied history. The Club features full athletic facilities, including 36 holes of golf; the Champions Course specifically is its signature golf course and a jewel nestled in beautiful Sarasota, Fla.
The 15-team field includes 12 teams ranked among the top-75 teams in the country in the latest NCAA Division I Women's Rankings and one team (Grand Valley State) ranked No. 21 in the NCAA Division II rankings.
Dates: Sunday, Feb. 18 – Monday Feb. 19
Course: Palm Aires Championship Course
Live Scoring: Golfstat
Par/Yardage: 72 / 6,191 yards
Format: Stroke play, 54 holes, play five, count four
Schedule: Sunday – Rounds 1&2 (8:30 a.m. shotgun)
Monday – Round 3 (8:30 a.m. shotgun)
LINEUP
1. Katie Lu
2. Brooke Biermann
3. Paula Balanzategui
4. Ana Sofia Murcia
5. Valentina Rossi
IND. Shannon Kennedy
IND. Ella Weber
THE SPARTAN SUN COAST INVITATIONAL FIELD
In addition to No. 31 Michigan State, the 15-team field includes the No. 66 College of Charleston, No. 59 Georgia Southern, Grand Valley State University, No. 55 Kent State, No. 42 Miami, No. 65 Nebraska, Notre Dame, No. 25 North Carolina, No. 61 NC State, No. 43 Ohio State, No. 53 Oklahoma, No. 27 Purdue, South Dakota State University and No. 38 Tennessee.
LIVE SCORING
Golfstat
ABOUT THE SPARTANS
The Spartans, coming off a strong Fall season, opened the spring with a ninth place finish among 18 teams at the UCF Challenge in early February in Orlando. During the Fall, the team finished the season with three top-five finishes in five events. MSU was the runner-up at its own event, the Mary Fossum Invitational, shooting a 4-over par 868. Other top-five finishes included a third place showing among 10 teams at the Glass City Invitational and a fourth-place finish among 14 teams at the Tar Heel Invitational. MSU closed the season with its best 54-hole score (7-under par 857) while finishing in sixth place at The Landfall Tradition.
Individually, junior Katie Lu was the top player for the Spartans, carrying a 70.87 scoring average with two top-five finishes and four among the top-20. She was the team's top finisher in three events, won the Mary Fossum Invitational (3-under par 213) and tied for second place at the Glass City Invitational (4-under par 212). Lu opened the spring with a tie for eighth place at the UCF Challenge, carding a 5-under par 211.
Classmate Brooke Biermann appeared in all five events and was second on the team with a 72.87 scoring average. She had three top-20 finishes, a season-best tie for ninth place at the Glass City Invitational (3-over par 219) and led the team with an even-par 216 at the Tar Heel Invitational, tying for 12th place. Biermann tied for 21st place at the UCF Challenge, shooting a 1-under par 215.
Senior Leila Raines closed the Fall campaign out with a 73.00 scoring average over 15 rounds, with her best finish a tie for 17th place at the Tar Heel Invitational (2-over par 218). Sophomore Paula Balanzategui and junior Shannon Kennedy close out the scoring lineup for the Spartans. Balanzategui had one top-10 finish during the Fall, leading the team with a 6-under par 210 and tying for seventh place at The Landfall Tradition. She finished the season with a 74.60 scoring average. Kennedy closed out the season with a 75.87 scoring average, competing in all five events.
Freshman Ana Sofia Murcia, who appeared in two events during the Fall and tied for 19th place at the Mary Fossum Invitational with a 5-over par 221, opened the spring with a 3-under par 213 (71-73-69) and tied for 14th place while playing as an individual.
The two-day, 54-hole tournament will be held at the par-72, 6,191-yard Palm Aires Champions Course. Teams will play 36 holes on Sunday, Feb. 18 with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start and the tournament concludes on Monday, Feb. 19 (8:30 a.m. shotgun).
The Palm Aire Champions Course was designed by renowned architect Dick Wilson in 1957 and updated by architect Michael Benkusky in 2021. Palm Aire is a members only privately run club which has played host to several PGA and LPGA events over its storied history. The Club features full athletic facilities, including 36 holes of golf; the Champions Course specifically is its signature golf course and a jewel nestled in beautiful Sarasota, Fla.
The 15-team field includes 12 teams ranked among the top-75 teams in the country in the latest NCAA Division I Women's Rankings and one team (Grand Valley State) ranked No. 21 in the NCAA Division II rankings.
Dates: Sunday, Feb. 18 – Monday Feb. 19
Course: Palm Aires Championship Course
Live Scoring: Golfstat
Par/Yardage: 72 / 6,191 yards
Format: Stroke play, 54 holes, play five, count four
Schedule: Sunday – Rounds 1&2 (8:30 a.m. shotgun)
Monday – Round 3 (8:30 a.m. shotgun)
LINEUP
1. Katie Lu
2. Brooke Biermann
3. Paula Balanzategui
4. Ana Sofia Murcia
5. Valentina Rossi
IND. Shannon Kennedy
IND. Ella Weber
THE SPARTAN SUN COAST INVITATIONAL FIELD
In addition to No. 31 Michigan State, the 15-team field includes the No. 66 College of Charleston, No. 59 Georgia Southern, Grand Valley State University, No. 55 Kent State, No. 42 Miami, No. 65 Nebraska, Notre Dame, No. 25 North Carolina, No. 61 NC State, No. 43 Ohio State, No. 53 Oklahoma, No. 27 Purdue, South Dakota State University and No. 38 Tennessee.
LIVE SCORING
Golfstat
ABOUT THE SPARTANS
The Spartans, coming off a strong Fall season, opened the spring with a ninth place finish among 18 teams at the UCF Challenge in early February in Orlando. During the Fall, the team finished the season with three top-five finishes in five events. MSU was the runner-up at its own event, the Mary Fossum Invitational, shooting a 4-over par 868. Other top-five finishes included a third place showing among 10 teams at the Glass City Invitational and a fourth-place finish among 14 teams at the Tar Heel Invitational. MSU closed the season with its best 54-hole score (7-under par 857) while finishing in sixth place at The Landfall Tradition.
Individually, junior Katie Lu was the top player for the Spartans, carrying a 70.87 scoring average with two top-five finishes and four among the top-20. She was the team's top finisher in three events, won the Mary Fossum Invitational (3-under par 213) and tied for second place at the Glass City Invitational (4-under par 212). Lu opened the spring with a tie for eighth place at the UCF Challenge, carding a 5-under par 211.
Classmate Brooke Biermann appeared in all five events and was second on the team with a 72.87 scoring average. She had three top-20 finishes, a season-best tie for ninth place at the Glass City Invitational (3-over par 219) and led the team with an even-par 216 at the Tar Heel Invitational, tying for 12th place. Biermann tied for 21st place at the UCF Challenge, shooting a 1-under par 215.
Senior Leila Raines closed the Fall campaign out with a 73.00 scoring average over 15 rounds, with her best finish a tie for 17th place at the Tar Heel Invitational (2-over par 218). Sophomore Paula Balanzategui and junior Shannon Kennedy close out the scoring lineup for the Spartans. Balanzategui had one top-10 finish during the Fall, leading the team with a 6-under par 210 and tying for seventh place at The Landfall Tradition. She finished the season with a 74.60 scoring average. Kennedy closed out the season with a 75.87 scoring average, competing in all five events.
Freshman Ana Sofia Murcia, who appeared in two events during the Fall and tied for 19th place at the Mary Fossum Invitational with a 5-over par 221, opened the spring with a 3-under par 213 (71-73-69) and tied for 14th place while playing as an individual.
Players Mentioned
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