By: By Hunter McKay
Tournament #1: 2018 Lady Paladin Invitational
Date: September 21-23, 2018
Location: Furman University Golf Course (Par 72, 6,278 yards) | Greenville, S.C.
Host: Furman
No. of Teams: 17
Format: 54-holes of stroke play with 18 holes on each day
Defending Champion: Furman (857,-7)
2017 Kennesaw State Finish: 3rd (874, 10)
Links: Live Scoring | Round 1 Tee Times
Tournament Preview
The Kennesaw State women's golf team opens the 2018-19 season with a trip to Greenville, S.C., for the 2018 Lady Paladin Invitational, hosted by Furman on Sept. 21-23 at the par-72, 6,278-yard Furman University Golf Course.
The tournament will consist of 54 holes, with 18 holes contested each day. Tee times for Friday and Saturday will begin at 9 a.m. ET off the first and 10th tees, while Sunday is a shotgun start at 9 a.m.
KSU will make its seventh visit to the Lady Paladin Invitational. KSU has placed in the top 10 as a team four times at this event.
Under the leadership of 13th-year head coach
Rhyll Brinsmead, the Owls have their eyes set on a second ASUN Conference Championship and NCAA Regional appearance in the last two seasons, while also looking to make history as the first KSU women's golf team to advance to the NCAA Championship.
The Field
The 17-team field for the 2018 Lady Paladin Invitational includes No.72 Augusta, No.65 Coastal Carolina, No.1 (NJCAA) Daytona State, No.128 Florida Gulf Coast, No.8 Furman, No.151 Georgia State, No. 150 Georgia Southern, No. 147 James Madison, No.90 Kansas, No.74 Kansas State, No.48 Kennesaw State, No.67 Memphis, No.106 North Florida, No. 60 Old Dominion, No.155 South Florida, No.50 Texas Tech, No.141 Tulsa.
Rankings based on last season's final Golfstat ranking.
Lineup
1. Senior
Madison Caldwell
2. Senior
Charlotte Charrayre
3. Freshman
Chloe Thornton
4. Senior
Roanne Tomlinson
5. Redshirt-Junior
Clara Aveling
Quotable
"Another season is upon us and the anticipation is at an all-time high! Coming off the record-setting year the team had in 2017-18 they are hungry for more of the same but with a fresh set of eyes and a new face joining the lineup. Qualifying was fiercely competitive and under par scoring earned you a spot. We are very familiar with the Furman event and golf course and I believe it is the best tournament to start our fall campaign. This is going to be a fun year and we're ready to tee it up on Friday."
- Head Coach Rhyll Brinsmead
Last Time Out
Owls Conclude Record-Breaking Season at NCAA Tallahassee Regional
The No.45 Kennesaw State women's golf team wrapped up its strong season at the NCAA Tallahassee Regional on Wednesday at the par-72 Don Veller Seminole Golf Course.The Owls recorded an 8-over par 296 in the final round and finished 14th with a three-round total of 21-over par 885. KSU's score of 885 is the lowest total score shot by an Owls team in a NCAA Regional. KSU concludes a season that saw them finish in the top five nine times and post a 108-39 record. No. 2 Alabama won the event at 33-under par 831.
Next Up
The Owls will head to Medinah, Illinois for the Illini Invitational at Medinah on Oct.8-9.
KSU Team Notes
Last Time at the Lady Paladin Invitational
Junior
Madison Caldwell's historic performance led the Kennesaw State women's golf team to a third-place finish at the 2017 Lady Paladin Invitational on Sunday (Sept. 24) at the par-72, 6,278-yard Furman University Golf Course. Caldwell turned in the low KSU round of the day and season with a 5-under par 67 to finish third overall with a 7-under par 209 total. The 209 total is the lowest 54 hole total in school history on a par-72 course. The junior rolled in an eagle, four birdies and 12 pars during her final round. Her round of 67 is tied for fourth best in program history on a par-72 course.The Owls posted a season-low round of 1-under par 287 in the final round to finish the tournament at 10-over par 874. The Owls collected wins over Virginia Tech, Ole Miss, and LSU among others in the 17-team field.
A Historic Season
The Kennesaw State women's golf team won its third ASUN Women's Golf Championship title last season by nine shots. KSU posted nine top-five finishes an impressive 108-39 record. The Owls set the school record with a 296.24 scoring average and KSU finished the season with the highest ranking in school history at No.48 in the GolfStat rankings. All seven members of last year's squad earned ASUN postseason honors including
Madison Caldwell who was named ASUN Golfer of the Year and
Rhyll Brinsmead who was named ASUN Coach of the Year. The Owls concluded their season posting their lowest postseason score ever at the NCAA Tallahassee Regional.
Thavong Earns Academic Honor
Medy Thavong was named to the 2017-18 Women's Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar Team on Tuesday afternoon. Thavong earned a 3.95 GPA while majoring in Accounting. On the course, she played in six events this season with a 75.18 scoring average. She recorded three season-low rounds of even par 72 at the Hawkeye-El Tigre Invitational and was the Owls top finisher at the tournament with an even-par total of 216 finishing tied for second. This is her third time on the All-American Scholar Team.
Caldwell Advances to Round of 32 at US Women's Amateur
Kennesaw State's
Madison Caldwell defeated one of the top amateur players in the United States in the round of 64 of the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship at the 6,347-yard, par-71 Golf Club of Tennessee on Wednesday. The Milton, Ga native was four down after 14 holes in the match. She proceeded to come back and win the final five holes of the match to collect a 1-up victory. Caldwell is the second Owl in program history to reach the round of 32 at the U.S. Women's Amateur joining
Ket Preamchuen
Owls in the Rankings
Kennesaw State was ranked No. 46 by Golfweek and No.48 by Golfstat in their final 2017-18 rankings.
Head Coach Rhyll Brinsmead
Head coach
Rhyll Brinsmead enters her 13th season at the helm of the Kennesaw State women's golf program. In her time as an Owl, she has led KSU to a trio of Atlantic Sun Conference titles and NCAA Regional Championship appearances, coming in 2011-2012, 2014-15 and 2017-18. A talented golfer in her own right, Brinsmead played collegiately at Texas State and graduated in 2004.
To keep up with the latest Kennesaw State women's golf news follow the team on Twitter
@KSUOwlNation and @
KSUOwlsWmnsGolf or by liking Kennesaw State University on
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