MAINEVILLE, Ohio – The Penn State women's golf team looks to solidify itself for an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament with a strong showing at the upcoming Big Ten Championship this Friday, April 19 through Sunday, April 21 at the TPC River's Bend course just outside of Cincinnati.
This marks the third-straight season the championship has been held at the Par-72, 7,180-yard TPC River's Bend course and Penn State enters the weekend with a strong possibility for a top-5 finish for the first time since back-to-back fourth place finishes in 2013 and 2014.
The Nittany Lions are seeded fifth to begin the tournament ranked No. 49 in the official golfstat.com rankings only behind Northwestern (No. 16), Michigan State (No. 19), Illinois (No. 30) and Purdue (No. 33) who enter the tournament ranked 1-4, respectively.
Behind Penn State, Maryland, Indiana, Ohio State, Michigan, Rutgers, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa round out the field seeded 6-14. The Nittany Lions will be paired with Purdue and Maryland throughout the tournament and will go off of the first tee in a split tee format. Play opens at 8:30 a.m. on both Friday and Saturday and 8:00 a.m. for the final round on Sunday.
Since 2012, the championship has gone to a 54-hole format with single 18-hole rounds each day, Friday through Sunday. The teams will be made up of six student-athletes with the top-4 scores being counted toward the team total each day.
"The team has worked hard preparing for this championship and they are looking forward to being back at the TPC course this weekend," commented head coach Denise St. Pierre.
ABOUT THE COURSE
- Named by Golf Digest among the Top 10 Best New Private Clubs in the U.S. after it opened in 2001, the Arnold Palmer-designed golf course has continued to amaze. TPC River's Bend has also been recognized as one of Ohio's Best Courses by Golf Digest in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015 and 2016.
- In addition to its championship golf course, TPC River's Bend offers an array of amenities and the personalized service and privileges that have become synonymous with the PGA TOUR TPC Network of premier clubs.
- TPC River's Bend has previously hosted the LPGA Symetra Tour's Prasco Charity Championship, Web.com Tour's Chiquita Classic, the PGA TOUR Champions Kroger Classic, and the Junior PGA Championship.
- Complementing the golf course is an expansive, 12-acre practice facility; featuring multiple chipping and putting areas. The golf staff at TPC River's Bend offers multiple instructional opportunities for adults and juniors utilizing state-of-the-art instructional equipment including video swing analysis and custom club fitting.
RECAPPING LAST YEAR
- The Nittany Lions played their best golf during the third round last year at the Big Ten Championship shooting a 4-under, 284, to finish eighth in the 14-team field with a tournament score of 887 (23-over).
- Senior Cara Basso (Downingtown, Pa.) played some of the best golf of her career during the tournament finishing tied for fourth, earning All-Big Ten honors, with a 4-under score of 212. Included in her total was a career-low 5-under, 67, during the second round and a 2-under, 70, in the final round.
- Classmate Jackie Rogowicz (Yardley, Pa.) helped Penn State climb the leaderboard during the final round carding a 4-under, 68, rebounding nicely after an opening round score of 11-over, 83. Rogowicz finished tied for 49th while classmate Lauren Waller (Canonsburg, Pa.) tied for 30th with a three-round score of 6-over, 222.
WINNER, WINNER CHICKEN DINNER
- Last time out at the Memphis Intercollegiate, Penn State captured its third tournament championship this season with a first place finish carding a three-round score of 2-over, 854. The Nittany Lions tied their best-ever 18-hole score shooting 10-under during the second round of the tournament.
- Junior Megan McLean (Lebanon, N.J.) paced the team with a career-best third place finish as she registered the fourth lowest 54-hole total in school history shooting 4-under, 209. McLean shot a new career-best 4-under, 67, during the second round of competition.
- As a team the Nittany Lions registered 52 birdies adding to their growing total from the fall which now stands at 429. If interested in pledging to our 'Birdies for the Heart' initiative please fill our or email head coach at .
THE TEAM
- Coach St. Pierre is returning five players who competed in the championship last season with McLean, Rogowicz, Waller, Basso and junior Maddy Herr (New Hope, Pa.) as all, but McLean have each tee'd it up at TPC River's Bend the last two seasons. Freshman Sarah Willis (Eaton, Ohio) joins the lineup as the sixth member.
- Basso leads the team with a 72.81 stroke average with 10 rounds of even-par or better this season and four top-10's including a pair of runner-up finishes. Rogowicz is second on the team averaging 73.31 strokes per 18 holes and leads the team with five top-10 finishes while Willis is third on the team with a 73.35 stroke average and has the lone individual first place honor with her record-setting Nittany Lion Invitational Championship.
- As a team, the Nittany Lions are averaging 291.46 per round and have six top-5 finishes this season. Penn State's stroke average is down more than four shots per round from its 2017-18 total of 295.77.
Live scoring for the tournament can be found HERE.