CAA CHAMPS! Women's Golf, Turner Take 2021 Titles

Sunday, April 11

Grandover Resort (East) | Greensboro, N.C.

James Madison University

CAA Championship

Photo by: Tim Cowie/Tim Cowie Photography

4/13/2021 6:21:00 PM | Women's Golf

@JMUWGolf JMU WG on IG Final Results

GREENSBORO, N.C. - The James Madison women's golf team roared back from a 16-shot deficit heading into Tuesday's final round, firing an even-par 288 to capture the 2021 Colonial Athletic Association Women's Golf Championship in thrilling fashion as redshirt freshman Kendall Turner took home the individual title at the par-72, 6,050-yard East Course at Grandover Resort.

The title marks the fifth CAA title in program history and the first for JMU since the 2012-13 campaign.

The Dukes picked the perfect time for their third round of par or better this season, cutting 19 shots off their second-round score to close the massive gap and pass second-place College of Charleston, which posted a final-round 309 (+21) to finish five shots behind JMU.

JMU began its charge early, playing the opening nine holes in 2-under as it sought to run down the top-seeded Cougars. The Dukes racked up an eye-popping 11 birdies on the outward nine to trim the lead down to just six shots at the turn before finishing with the seven-team field's best round of the day by 10 shots.

Turner captured her first career win and JMU's first individual CAA title since 2013 and fifth overall in equally exciting fashion. The Chesapeake, Va. native faced a four-shot deficit with five holes to play before taking the outright victory with a final-round 71 (-1) that put her atop the 34-player field at 220 (+4) at the end of the week.

Across the final six holes, Turner tallied two birdies and four pars to seal the victory, notching a par on the tough par-5, 500-yard 18th as second-place Viktoria Hund of College Charleston posted a bogey to fall back to 221 (+5).

Freshman Amelia Williams led the way in the Dukes' charge, racking up five birdies - including three in a row on the front nine - as she bounced back from Monday with a 70 (-2) that marked the lowest score in the field on a difficult final day. The performance vaulted her into a tie for third on the week (224, +8) and earned her All-Tournament honors.

Sophomore Kate Owens joined the pair on the All-Tournament Team, carding a final-round 74 (+2) to take sole possession of fifth at 225 (+9) for the week.

Sophomore Carly Lyvers came up huge for the Dukes with a 73 (+1) on Tuesday that saw her par her final eight holes and climb into a tie for 11th, while freshman Ana Tsiros posted a 76 (+4) for her best round of the week and sole possession of 23rd.

QUOTING COACH BAKER
"This was absolutely amazing for these ladies to accomplish. I'm incredibly proud of the way they've battled - not just this week, but all season against the things we've all had to overcome. They've just kept grinding, growing as a team and getting better every single tournament and today was just a culmination of everything we've worked on all semester. To be facing the deficit we were at the start of the day and still come home with the trophy is a testament to everything they've accomplished this spring."

UP NEXT
With the victory, the Dukes have earned an automatic bid to one of four NCAA Regionals, hosted by LSU, Ohio State, Louisville and Stanford on May 10-12.

Official regional fields will be announced on the NCAA Selection Show, which will be broadcast on the Golf Channel at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, April 28. After regional competition May 10-12, the top six teams and six individuals from each region then advance to the national championship at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., May 21-26.