PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers women's golf put together a performance to remember this weekend, with the team winning the Rutgers Invitational in dominant fashion and
Rikke Nordvik winning the individual title by four strokes.
It was the team's second event victory in the last two seasons, with the Scarlet Knights winning the 2022 Rocket Classic last fall, an even in which Nordvik also won the individual title.
Hosting an event for the first time since 2017, RU posted a 24-over 876 during a weekend with challenging and windy conditions. The Scarlet Knights won the tournament by 26 strokes over runner-up Albany, who posted a 50-over 902.
The team score of 24-over set a tournament record to par, beating the previous mark of +45 by 21 strokes, set by Rutgers in 2017. Additionally, the team's 6-over par in the third round tied the tournament mark for low round to par, set by Seton Hall in the second round in 2016.
Nordvik's 1-over score to par also set a tournament record for low score, besting the mark of 3-over previously set by Georgetown's Alexa Popowitz in 2017.
With the top six finishers being named to the All-Tournament Team, Nordvik,
Lorena Rossettin,
Leigha Devine and
Emily James all received accolades for their performances.
"We are excited to have earned the win at home," head coach
Kari Williams said. "The support we had on the course from friends, family and fans was amazing and energizing for our team. I'm happy with the consistency from the team; they played a lot of steady golf this weekend in difficult conditions. Our goal today was to stay in the moment and the team did a good job of that. This is a great moment for us to build on as we get ready for Ohio State next week."
Round 3 – Sunday, April 7
Weather: Temps in mid-50s, Partly Cloudy, 5-15mph winds
Rikke Nordvik broke away from the field in the final round, after sitting in a tie for first following the first two rounds. Her even-par 71 kept her in the top spot all day, as she won the tournament by four strokes. In her final round, Nordvik had back-to-back birdies on No. 4 and 5 as well as No. 17. The victory for Nordvik was the second of her career after she won the Rocket Classic in 2022.
"It was fun to play at home in front of family and friends," Nordvik said. "My goal was to play smart this weekend and to rely on my experience out here. I tried to stay patient and calm, avoiding big mistakes after some missed shots. My irons were good and I hit a lot of greens, which gave me a lot of birdie looks. We are excited to build on this win as we head towards the end of the season!"
Lorena Rossettin was one of four more Scarlet Knights to finish in the top eight, taking home fifth place with an 8-over 221 on the weekend. Her even-par 71 in the final round vaulted her up the leaderboard, with birdies on No. 2 and No. 15 highlighting her round.
Leigha Devine collected a T6 finish, picking up three birdies in the final round and carding a 9-over 222 (75-74-73).
Cathi Graf birdied back-to-back holes on No. 4 and 5 to finish T8, shooting a 10-over 223 (75-73-75).
Lucrezia Rossettin finished 12th, shooting a 14-over 227 (73-78-76) for the tournament, rolling in birdies on No. 9 and 14.
Krystal Li rounded out the team performers with a 19-over 232 (80-76-76).
Emily James competed as an individual in the event, finishing with Devine in a tie for 6th. Her 2-over 73 in the final round helped her rise up the leaderboards and secure the top-10 finish.
Rounds 1 & 2 – Saturday, April 6
Weather: Temps in low-50s, cloudy, 10-20 mph winds
Rikke Nordvik had a strong day and is in a tie for first with one round to play. She came out of the gates hot, posting a birdie on No. 3 and an eagle on No. 4. She wrapped up her first round with a 2-under 69 and is at 1-over 143 (69-74) for the tournament.
Cathi Graf closed out day one in the top five, as she is in a tie for fifth. She carded three birdies in her first round and followed up with 14 pars in round two, shooting a 6-over 148 (75-73).
Leigha Devine is in a tie for eighth after a 7-over 149 (75-74) in her first two rounds. Devine had a consistent day on the course, putting in 14 pars in each of the first two rounds.
Lorena Rossettin rounds out the Scarlet Knights in the top 10, sitting in a tie for 10th at 8-over 150 (77-73), carding a pair of birdies in each round.
Lucrezia Rossettin is not far behind a tie for 13th at 9-over 151 (73-78). She rolled in three birdies in her first round and added another in the second.
Krystal Li rounded out the team performers with a 14-over 156 (80-76), good for t-23.
Emily James put together a very strong day as an individual, finishing the first day in a tie for eighth. James came out strong with a 1-over 72 in round one, highlighted by five birdies. She added two more for a team-high seven birdies on the day.
2024 Rutgers Invitational: Final Results
Rutgers University Golf Course (Piscataway, N.J.)
Par 71 | 6,016 yards
Field: Rutgers, Albany, Dartmouth, Georgetown, Lehigh, Monmouth, Sacred Heart, Seton Hall, St. John's
* - Competing as Individual
Rutgers University Women's Golf /// Piscataway, N.J.
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