Bucs take home 2024 Women’s Golf Big South Championship

Charleston Southern Women’s Golf claimed their seventh title in program history and first since the 2010 season on Wednesday afternoon. They defeated #2 USC Upstate in the finals of the event by a final score of 4-1 after taking down #4 Longwood in the semifinals earlier in the day.

The Buccaneers were able to claim the championship match courtesy of quick back-to-back-back finishes from their first three players to start their rounds. Caroline Engelbredt got CSU their first point winning 3&2 which was shortly followed by Alsie Verhoeven taking hers at 2&1. Katie Stephens clinched the title and team’s berth to the NCAA Regionals with her holding on for a one-hole victory, needing all 18 holes to decide a winner.

Stephens was part of the first pairing to tee off and jumped out to an early lead of three after just three holes. USC Upstate’s player was able to bring the match back even and eventually take the lead on the 14th. Stephens responded immediately by winning on the 15th and 16th to regain a one-hole with two left to play. She tied each of the next two giving CSU their third point.

Verhoeven was the second to tee off in the final round and was part of one of the narrowest decisions on the day. Neither player was able to gain a stroke on the other after the first seven holes, but Verhoeven broke on the 8th to create the needed separation. She only lost on one hole of the 17 played and stretched her lead out to as many as three during the round. She clinched the second point for the Bucs of the day.

Engelbredt had the most dominant performance in the finals for the Bucs. At the turn, she held a six-hole lead over the player from the Spartans. Her opponent was able to claim three consecutive holes on the back nine of the course to cut into Engelbredt’s lead, but it proved to be too little, too late, giving the Buccaneers their first decision of the day.

After being the player to send Charleston Southern to the finals for the day, Odette Garcia’s result was not even needed for them to clinch the championship. She claimed the first two holes of the round over USC Upstate and never surrendered her lead providing the Bucs with another result on the day.

USC Upstate’s Preaw Nontarux claimed their lone point of the match against Madison Freeman. They went through 12 holes and Nontarux was having a career day as she had shot -6 at that point to get the decision.

The Buccaneers will now begin their preparations for the 2024 NCAA Regionals as they claimed the Big South’s Automatic Bid to the national event. The Regionals will begin in two weeks with action to be from May 6-8. Charleston Southern will also be hosting a Watch Party for the NCAA Women’s Golf Selection Show. The program will be April 24 at 2 p.m. on Golf Channel. The details for the event will be announced later in the week.

In each regional, 12 teams and six individuals not on those teams will compete. The low five teams and the low individual not on those teams will advance to the finals. Beginning in 2024, regional champion awards will be given to the team champions.

2024 Women’s Golf Match Play Results – Finals

#1 Charleston Southern vs. #2 USC Upstate (Charleston Southern wins, 3-1)

Order of finish:

M4: Preaw Nontarux (UPST) defeats Madison Freeman (CSU), 8&6 (UPST leads 1-0)

M3: Caroline Engelbredt (CSU) defeats Suwarin Yord-in (UPST), 3&2 (match tied 1-1)

M2: Elsie Verhoeven (CSU) defeats Rylie Kosney (UPST), 2&1 (CSU leads 2-1)

M1: Katie Stephens (CSU) defeats Alexis Reili (UPST), 1UP (CSU wins 3-1)

M5: Odette Font Garcia (CSU) vs. Supatta Puttanavarat (UPST) 3UP thru 15 (unfinished)

Related Stories