Freshman Emily Mills Wins Bucknell Invitational
Sep 07 | Women's Golf
LEWISBURG, Pa. – Rutgers freshman Emily Mills (Colts Neck, N.J.), competing in her first collegiate event, shot a 220 to win the season-opening Bucknell Invitational, played Saturday and Sunday at Bucknell Golf Club.
Mills entered the day with the tournament’s 36-hole lead after shooting 70 and 76 in Saturday’s opening two rounds. She concluded Sunday with a 74, to defeat Seton Hall’s Erin McClure, who took second place, by two strokes. Mills played consistently all weekend, leading the 80-player field in pars (42) and par five scoring average (an even-par 5.00).
“I just tried to play one shot at a time today, and I made some great approach shots and a few putts that sunk that allowed me to pull out the win,” said Mills.
The Garden State product becomes the first rookie to win their initial event for RU since Kortnie Maxoutopolis also captured victory at Bucknell in 2011.
Rutgers took second place at the 14-team event with a 905 (300-301-304), finishing six strokes behind Seton Hall, which recorded an 899 (305-301-293). William & Mary, the defending tournament champion, took third place with a 934 (307-311-316).
It was a very strong showing for the Scarlet Knights in their first competition under new head coach Kari Williams, who called it a “great opening tournament for the team.” Incidentally, while directing Columbia at the event last season, Williams helped Michelle Piyapattra to individual co-medalist honors.
“Emily led from start to finish and today, playing with the other players at the top of the leaderboard, she held her own,” said Williams. “She played consistent good golf and kept giving herself a chance to make birdies.”
Williams also praised sophomore Taylor Clark (Rochester, Mich.) and junior Racquel Zurick (West Trenton, N.J.), who both also finished among the top six. Clark improved every round to place tied for fourth with a 225 (78-74-73). Zurick led the tournament with eight birdies, shooting a 226 (77-74-75) to take sixth place.
Rounding out Rutgers’ scorecard was freshman Tatum Jackson (Mountain Brook, Ala.), who tied for 14th in her first collegiate event, with a 234 (75-77-82) and junior Christina Paulsen (Ridgewood, N.J.), who carded a 249 (82-85-82) to finish tied for 45th.
Rutgers returns to the links at the Yale Women’s Intercollegiate, September 26-28 in New Haven, Conn.
Players Mentioned
