Wichita State’s women’s golf team is off to its hottest start in the last nine seasons.
The Shockers opened the year with a fourth place finish at the Jayhawk Invitational from Aug. 24-25 and backed it up Monday and Tuesday at the Payne Stewart Memorial by finishing in second.
The fourth and second place finishes to open the season are the best back-to-back since 2017-18. Wichita State is averaging 299.83 strokes per round through its first two tournaments, which is on pace to set a single-season record as a team.
The Shockers shot 918 (+54) through 54 holes at the Jayhawk Invitational en route to their fourth-place finish. ULM was crowned champion at that event after posting a team score of 879 (+15).
Sophomore Kayla Van de Ven and senior Mackenzie Wilson both tied for 10th individually at 10 strokes over par for the tournament. Individual competitor, sophomore Amelie Paul, finished in seventh with 223 total strokes, good for seven over par.
Senior Kate Tilma was Wichita State’s next-best finisher, shooting 233 (+17) through 54 holes.
The runner-up finish at the Payne Stewart Memorial marked the program’s best in four seasons, when the team won the Big O Classic in October 2022. The team shot 881 (+29) for the tournament, which is tied for the third-best total strokes through 54 holes in program history.
Tournament host Missouri State was the only team to beat Wichita State. The Bears won by 15 strokes with a score of 866 (+14).
Conference rival Memphis also competed and lost to the Shockers by four strokes.
Wilson paved the way for Wichita State, posting rounds of 74, 71 and 74 to tie for seventh at six over par. The Australia native’s average strokes per round is now 74.17 this season, which is on pace to set the second-best mark in a single season in program history.
The sophomore duo of Paul and Van de Ven placed 13th and 15th, after shooting 222 (+9) and 223 (+10), respectively.
Junior Manon Guille was right behind Paul and Van de Ven in 16th place.
Tilma got off to a slower start, posting scores of 78 in rounds one and two. She led the Shockers individually in round three, shooting an even par 71 to close out the tournament in 22nd place.
After a strong start, Wichita State will look to keep its momentum headed into the Johnie Imes Invitational from Sept. 22-23.
