On Oct. 21 and 22, the Oakland University women’s golf team concluded its fall season at the Braun Intercollegiate in Evansville, Ind.
After two rounds of play and 36 holes, the Golden Grizzlies finished with a team total of 47-over 623 to secure their third-place finish. Indiana State University led the tournament with a score of 35-over 611, followed by Belmont University at 45-over 621.
First Round
Setting the tone early, sophomore Lily Bargamian and graduate student Savannah Haque led the Golden Grizzlies, tied for 13th with a solid score of 5-over 77. Their strong performances were key in establishing competitive momentum for the team.
Bargamian noted she was not entirely thrilled about her performance. However, she highlighted elements that she executed well, including four birdies in the first round.
“I am looking to build on positives like that I can take from the week,” Bargamian said. “Going into the first and second rounds, I just wanted to go out there and shoot the lowest score that I could to help my team.”
Juniors Grace Boczar and Paige Scott were not far behind Bargamian and Haque, each carding a 7-over 79. Competing as an individual, senior Nateda Her also had an impressive outing, posting a 4-over 76 to put herself in 12th place by the end of the round. Overall, the Golden Grizzlies concluded Monday in fourth place, setting the stage for a strong push on the second day.
Second Round
The team made a decisive advance into the final round. Sophomore Olivia Hemmila stepped up, scoring 4-over 76 to lead her teammates on Tuesday. Bargamian remained steady, contributing a 7-over 79, while Boczar and Haque recorded solid rounds of 6-over 78. Her wrapped up the day with an 11-over 83.
“I really worked on focusing on taking it one hole at a time and staying in the present and leaving bad holes in the past,” Haque said.
The strong performances throughout the tournament allowed the Golden Grizzlies to land four players in the top 20 individually.
In a tight field, Haque finished 11th with a total score of 11-over 155, narrowly ahead of Bargamian in 12th at 12-over 156. Boczar followed one stroke behind her to earn 13th place with a score of 13-over 157. Tied for 14th place, Hemmila posted a 14-over 158. These close results spoke positively to the team dynamic.
“We all feel like a family and work very well together on and off the course,” Haque said. “Everyone is always trying to pump each other up and focusing on maintaining a strong and positive environment.”
This performance follows a first-place finish at the Motor City Match-Up and a third-place finish at the Coyote Creek Classic. The team is eager to carry this momentum into the spring season, which starts at the Western Michigan Invite in Kalamazoo in February.
“Looking ahead to the spring, our team wants to win the Horizon League title for the second year in a row,” Bargamian said. “We are excited to see what is ahead.”