MIRAMAR BEACH, Fla. – Dave Reinhardt knows what a feat his team accomplished Tuesday.
Entering the final round of the 2024 Golfweek October Classic trailing Emory by eight shots, Washington-St. Louis had no margin for error if he wanted to come from behind and steal the team title at arguably the strongest event in all of Division III golf.
When the final putt rolled in on the 18th hole of the Links Course at Sandestin Resort, Reinhardt told her player Sydney Kuo that they had won, and she screamed in celebration and sprinted off the green to join her teammates, who were the same on the other side of the green. the pond.
Washington-St. Louis was brilliant in the final round, shooting 4 under to finish at 4-over 868 for the tournament, two shots ahead of Carnegie Mellon and nine ahead of Emory, which shot 13 Tuesday to fall to third place. Washington St. Louis’ 4-under 284 shooting in the final round was the second-best team total of the week.
Golfweek October Classic: Sheet music
“I kept telling the girls to focus and play their game,” Reinhardt said. “We had a big refresh for this season. I couldn’t be more proud of them.
“This is my most gratifying victory in four years as head coach.”
Washington-St. Louis and Carnegie Mellon were the only teams to shoot under par on the Links Course in the final round, a new course for women this year at the Golfweek October Classic.
The win was also significant for seventh-ranked Washington St. Louis, as the team topped the top two teams in the latest Mizuno WGCA Coaches Poll in Carnegie Mellon and Emory. The field included seven of the top 10 teams in the country.
“This is one of the best golf tournaments of the entire fall, if not the entire season,” Reinhardt said. “Coming here and winning is something we can use and build on as we head into the spring.”
Kuo finished solo second in the individual standings, four shots behind Emory’s Zimo Lee, the only player in the field to shoot three consecutive rounds under par, finishing at 6-under 210 for the event.
Cecilia Jia of Carnegie Mellon tied for third in solo, and Rachel LeMay of Pomona-Pitzer and Emma Wong of Carnegie Mellon finished tied for fourth at 1.
This article was originally published on Golfweek: Why winning the 2024 Golfweek October Classic was the ‘most rewarding victory’ for Washington-St. Louis women
