Story Links
GREENVILLE, S.C. — For the second consecutive week, the High Point University women’s golf team carded a second-place finish behind its best score this season, 5-under-par, to complete the three-day event at the 51st Annual Lady Paladin Invitational on Sunday afternoon.
The Panthers finished runner-up to Alabama (-18) as they were the only two teams who shot under par. HPU bested opponents like Minnesota, Furman, Xavier, FGCU, UNCW, Nevada, Old Dominion, Harvard, and among others in a 16-team field.
Makayla Grubb continued to impress in her second collegiate tournament, registering her first top-5 finish, while sophomore Anais Arafi used a new collegiate best round three to secure a top-15 placement to lead HPU.
Head Coach Lyndsey Hunnell: “I’m so proud of how the team performed this week! Everyone contributed each day, this lineup anyone can go low and help each day for the team. You never know who your top four scores will be coming from and that’s what every coach dreams of. I’m also impressed with how the team handled themselves paired up with some other top teams/players. They just stuck to their game and didn’t let anything knock them off course.”
Site: Greenville, S.C.
Course: Furman University Golf Course
Par/Yardage: 72/6125
HPU Top Finisher: Makayla Grubb (T5) — 69, 69, 73 (211) -5
HPU Team Finish: 2 of 16 teams — 285, 285, 289 (859) -5
Panther Placement:
T5 Makayla Grubb -5 (69, 69, 73) 211
T14 Anais Arafi -1 (73, 74, 68) 215
T21 Anna Howerton +1 (71, 72, 74) 217
T34 Eva Lye +6 (78, 70, 74) 222
T44 Ella Perna +8 (72, 78, 74) 216
Individual
29 Savannah Cherry +4 (75, 71, 74) 220
Makayla Grubb, who was named Big South Freshman of the Week after her first tournament, followed it up with back-to-back 3-under-par 69 rounds before shooting 1-over in round three. The freshman finished 5-under to earn fifth place, which is her first top-5 collegiate finish, as she sunk nine birdies and had a tournament-best 41 pars.
“Makayla was a rock star this week! She has come out of the gate hot with a lot of discipline and expectations to play even better the next day,” Hunnell said. “She’s got her eyes set on big goals and records she wants to set for this program!”
Anais Arafi led the Panthers with 11 birdies, draining six of them in round three where she carded a new collegiate low of 4-under-68 to register this season’s first top-15 finish. The sophomore improved each day, shooting rounds of 73 and 72 before finishing 1-under-par for the tournament.
“Anaïs has been heating up for her game to finally click and she did that the final round with a new collegiate low! She is getting back in groove from last season,” Hunnell said, “so I know she will be climbing her way to the top of many leaderboards in the future.”
Anna Howerton, who was named Big South Golfer of the Week after the first tournament, was 1-under-par through two rounds after carding a 71 and 72, respectively. She sunk 10 birdies and capped the Lady Paladin with a 73, which tied her for 21st.
“Anna has always been a solid player that we can depend on in this lineup,” Hunnell said. “Her mental game maturity has grown so much these past two years it has helped her become so much more consistent. She knows what she is capable of yet doesn’t let a bad round discourage her thoughts about her game.”
Following an up-and-down first round, Lye carded her new collegiate low in the next as she used a 2-under-70 followed by a 74 in round three to finish T34. The freshman carded four birdies in the second round and had a tournament-ninth best nine pars.
“Eva continues to amaze me with her composure and game,” Hunnell said. “She was frustrated after the first round, but she didn’t let that rattle her. She knew what she was struggling with in her game and worked on it following the round and them came out hot the next day to beat her collegiate low as well!”
Ella Perna saw her best rounds come in the first and third rounds as she carded an even 72 in the first and a 2-over-74 over the final 18. The senior sunk eight birdies.
Savannah Cherry was the highest finisher among the individuals competing. In her first tournament play this season, she drained six of her nine birdies in the second round where she carded a 1-under-par 71. The sophomore carded a 75 and 74, respectively, in rounds one and three to finish 4-over for 29th place.
Up Next: The Panthers head to the Pat Bradley Invitational Monday, Sept. 29 through Tuesday, Sept. 30 in Miami, Fla.
#GoHPU
