After finishing second and eighth in their first tournaments this season, Indiana women’s golf carried its momentum into a sixth-place finish at the Mason Rudolph Invitational. The Hoosiers finished the 16-team tournament 17 over par, just ahead of Clemson University at 18 over par.
Vanderbilt University hosted the three-round event Sept. 19-21 at the par-71, 6,304-yard Vanderbilt Legends Club course in Franklin, Tennessee.
Senior Madison Dabagia led the way for the Hoosiers after a 2-under-par total score. She finished tied for ninth, being one of only 11 golfers under par. Dabagia had a final round of 69 after shooting scores of 70 and 72 the other two days.
Redshirt senior Maddie May finished tied for 19th after shooting 3 over par. Her best round was an even-par 71 on Friday. May had five birdies — with four coming on the back nine — but three bogeys and a double-bogey on the 18th hole kept her at even par. The New Zealand native finished the weekend with nine birdies.
The Hoosiers started the tournament strong, finishing Friday in fifth place, with their worst score of round one being a 6-over-par 77 by freshman Grace Heiss. Redshirt junior Sheridan Clancy had a 1-over-par 72. After starting on the 10th hole, Clancy birdied the 17th and 18th holes before a double-bogey on the second. She made another birdie on the sixth hole, then bogeyed the eighth and ninth to close out her round.
Dabagia had an eagle on the sixth hole — which three out of the five Hoosiers had a birdie or better on — after a double bogey on the fifth and before a double bogey on the eighth. Junior Katie Poots finished the first round with a 3-over-par 74 with one birdie and four bogeys.
The Hoosiers could not keep up with Vanderbilt and Mississippi State University after a second-round 7-over-par total. The pair were the only teams under par after the Commodores finished in first place with a 15-under-par total, and the Bulldogs went 13-under-par to finish second.
Indiana saw all five of its golfers finish over par Saturday. Starting on the first hole, Dabagia and May went one over par. Clancy followed with a 2-over-par 73, and Poots finished 3 over par even after bogeying the first hole.
On Sunday, the Hoosiers had a 7-over-par team total for the second consecutive day. Dabagia led the team with a 2-under-par 69. The Fort Wayne, Indiana, native had seven birdies throughout the round. Dabagia started the day with a birdie on the first hole before a 35-total score on the front nine. She birdied four out of the last five holes going into the clubhouse.
May finished Sunday with a 2-over-par 73 after birdieing the 18th hole, which four out of the five Hoosiers birdied in the third round. She double bogeyed the fourth hole and bogeyed on the 16th hole but had pars on the rest of the holes.
Heiss had her lowest round of the tournament after a 3-over-par 74. The Dallas, Texas, native bogeyed five holes between the third and eighth holes, her lone birdie on a 4-over-par front nine came on sixth hole. She birdied the 14th and 18th holes to respond after the tough front nine.
Clancy and Poots both bogeyed the first hole and finished Sunday with a four-over 75. Clancy had no birdies throughout her round, but Poots had three birdies and no double bogeys or worse.
The Hoosiers have some time off before the Illinois Invitational on Oct. 6-7 at Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Illinois.
