HOUSTON – Purdue Women's Golf continues its spring in the south with the ICON Invitational at The Golf Club of Houston (Feb. 21-22). A familiar stop, the Boilermakers have competed in the last three renditions of the tournament.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Monday, Feb. 21: Rounds 1 and 2 (Shotgun start at 9 a.m. ET)
Tuesday, Feb. 22: Round 3 (Shotgun start at 9 a.m. ET)
THE LINEUP
Kan Bunnabodee – Jr.
Daniela Ballesteros – Jr.
Ashley Kozlowski – So.
Jocelyn Bruch – R-Fr.
Inez Wanamarta – Sr.
THE FIELD (Golfstat Rankings)
Colorado
Houston
Illinois
Maryland
Michigan State
North Texas
#2 Oklahoma State
#23 Ole Miss
Purdue
#20 TCU
Tennessee
#16 Texas A&M
Texas State
Texas Tech
#22 USC
THE COURSE
Founded in 2003, The Golf Club of Houston has two 18-hole courses that have both hosted the PGA Tour's Houston Open. The ICON Invitational will take place on the Tournament Course, a par 72 that will measure at 6,392 yards for the week. The Tournament Course is open to both members and the public was designed by Rees Jones and David Toms. The Houston Open has been staged at the club from 2003 to 2019.
PURDUE IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
The Boilermakers enter the tournament ranked No. 39 by Golfweek and 40th in Golfstat's national rankings.
LAST TIME ON THE LINKS
Inez Wanamarta tied for eighth individually (75-72-73—220), her best finish of the year, to lead Purdue Women's Golf to an eighth-place finish in the Columbia Classic presented by Moon Golf. Jocelyn Bruch (74-74-82—230) tied for 38th, while Daniela Ballesteros tied for 44th on the individual leaderboard (73-79-82—234), their best performances as Boilermakers.
A FAMILIAR TOURNAMENT
Purdue is no stranger to the ICON Invitational, making its fourth straight appearance in the tournament. The Boilermakers nearly won the 2019 and 2020 editions at The Woodlands Country Club, finishing runner-up both years. At the 2019 tournament, Inez Wanamarta placed sixth with an even-par 216 (74-74-68).
BUNABODEE'S SPRING DEBUT
After leading the Boilermakers in stroke average during the fall (72.00), junior Kan Bunabodee makes her spring debut. The Purdue junior recorded a team-high 47 birdies over four fall tournaments, posting the team's lowest score in seven of 12 rounds. She placed in the top 10 in two tournaments, tying for seventh at the season-opening Samuel P. Golden Invitational with the third-lowest 54-hole total in school history (69-66-72—207). Bunabodee ended the fall with her best showing as a Boilermaker, a fourth-place finish at the Landfall Tradition. If she returns with her fall form, Bunabodee could provide a huge spark to the Purdue lineup.
INEZ'S EXPERIENCE
In her fifth season as a Boilermaker, Inez Wanamarta brings veteran leadership to a team looking to return to a seventh straight NCAA Regional. The Surabaya, Indonesia, native has played in 108 rounds for the Old Gold and Black, while totaling 40 tournaments over her career. She started as the 2018 Big Ten Freshman of the Year before earning all-league honors for the second time as a sophomore. With her junior season cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic and pushing the start of the 2021 season to the spring, Wanamarta was given an extra year of eligibility and looks to make the most of it as her Purdue Golf career winds down.
A PERFECT WEEK
Two Boilermakers went 3-0 at Big Ten Match Play (Jan. 31 – Feb. 1) to get their spring season off to a hot start. Competing in just her third event as a Boilermaker, redshirt-freshman Jocelyn Bruch won all three of her matches, including a 5-and-3 victory in the championship match. Inez Wanamarta was also perfect throughout the tournament, showcasing her senior leadership. After defeating a Hoosier and Badger, Wanamarta tried to push Purdue past Northwestern with a decisive 4-and-3 win to pick up a point. However, it was not to be, as the Wildcats took the championship match.
NEXT ON THE TEE
After playing tournaments back-to-back weeks, the Boilermakers have a couple of weekends off before returning to the course. Purdue makes the trip to Augusta, Georgia for the Valspar Augusta Invitational (March 12-13).
BOILERMAKER UPDATES
For updates throughout the tournament, follow Purdue Women's Golf on Twitter @PurdueWGolf.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Monday, Feb. 21: Rounds 1 and 2 (Shotgun start at 9 a.m. ET)
Tuesday, Feb. 22: Round 3 (Shotgun start at 9 a.m. ET)
THE LINEUP
Kan Bunnabodee – Jr.
- Making her spring debut, but her fifth appearance of the 2021-22 season and the 15th of her career
- Led Purdue with a 72.00 stroke average throughout the fall, as well as pacing the team in birdies (47)
- Finished in the top 10 in two of the four fall tournaments, including a career-best fourth at the Landfall Tradition (Oct. 29-31)
- Tied for seventh at the Samuel P. Golden Invitational (Sept. 13-14) with a career-low 9-under 207 (69-66-72), the third-lowest 54-hole total in school history
- Posted the team-low score seven out of her 12 rounds in the fall
- Tied for 19th at last season's ICON Invitational with an even-par 216 (73-72-67)
Daniela Ballesteros – Jr.
- Tied for 44th at last week's Columbia Classic (73-79-82—234), the best finish of her career
- Making her ninth appearance as a Boilermaker and her third of the spring
- In between the fall and spring, won at the South American Amateur Open in Ecuador
- Played in one tournament during the fall slate, teeing it up in the Windy City Classic (Oct. 4-5)
- Competed in two tournaments as a freshman before doubling that to four as a sophomore; both seasons were shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Ashley Kozlowski – So.
- One of two Boilermakers to play in all four fall tournaments
- Making her 10th appearance as a Boilermaker and her second of the spring
- Led the team in pars (131) and ranked second in birdies (37) throughout the fall
- Produced the best 54-hole score in two of the four fall tournaments, while leading the Boilermakers in five out of her 12 rounds on the course
- Paced Purdue at the Illini Invitational (Oct. 11-12), tying for sixth with a career-low 211 that featured another personal best, a 4-under 68 in the final round
Jocelyn Bruch – R-Fr.
- Tied for 38th at the Columbia Classic last week (74-74-82—230), her best finish as a Boilermaker
- Started the spring by going 3-0 in Big Ten Match Play, helping Purdue finish runner-up
- Is appearing in her fifth event of the year, holding a 75.56 stroke average
- Fired a 2-under 70 to lead the Boilermakers in the final round of the Sam Golden Invitational (Sept. 13-14)
- Redshirted last season
- Won the Indiana High School Athletic Association state championship in 2018
Inez Wanamarta – Sr.
- Led Purdue at last week's Columbia Classic, tying for eighth (75-72-73—220) for her best finish of the season
- Tied for sixth at the 2019 ICON Invitational with an even-par 216 (74-74-68)
- Started the spring by going 3-0 in Big Ten Match Play, helping Purdue finish runner-up
- Making her 41st appearance as a Boilermaker, which includes 108 rounds of stroke play over her Purdue career; both are team highs
- Holds a 72.50 stroke average on the season, second-best on the team
- Two-time All-Big Ten honoree (First Team – 2018, Second Team – 2019), including being named the 2018 Big Ten Freshman of the Year
- Earned medalist honors at the Minnesota Invitational to kick off the 2017-18 season, firing a 206 (-10) to tie the 54-hole school record
THE FIELD (Golfstat Rankings)
Colorado
Houston
Illinois
Maryland
Michigan State
North Texas
#2 Oklahoma State
#23 Ole Miss
Purdue
#20 TCU
Tennessee
#16 Texas A&M
Texas State
Texas Tech
#22 USC
THE COURSE
Founded in 2003, The Golf Club of Houston has two 18-hole courses that have both hosted the PGA Tour's Houston Open. The ICON Invitational will take place on the Tournament Course, a par 72 that will measure at 6,392 yards for the week. The Tournament Course is open to both members and the public was designed by Rees Jones and David Toms. The Houston Open has been staged at the club from 2003 to 2019.
PURDUE IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
The Boilermakers enter the tournament ranked No. 39 by Golfweek and 40th in Golfstat's national rankings.
LAST TIME ON THE LINKS
Inez Wanamarta tied for eighth individually (75-72-73—220), her best finish of the year, to lead Purdue Women's Golf to an eighth-place finish in the Columbia Classic presented by Moon Golf. Jocelyn Bruch (74-74-82—230) tied for 38th, while Daniela Ballesteros tied for 44th on the individual leaderboard (73-79-82—234), their best performances as Boilermakers.
A FAMILIAR TOURNAMENT
Purdue is no stranger to the ICON Invitational, making its fourth straight appearance in the tournament. The Boilermakers nearly won the 2019 and 2020 editions at The Woodlands Country Club, finishing runner-up both years. At the 2019 tournament, Inez Wanamarta placed sixth with an even-par 216 (74-74-68).
BUNABODEE'S SPRING DEBUT
After leading the Boilermakers in stroke average during the fall (72.00), junior Kan Bunabodee makes her spring debut. The Purdue junior recorded a team-high 47 birdies over four fall tournaments, posting the team's lowest score in seven of 12 rounds. She placed in the top 10 in two tournaments, tying for seventh at the season-opening Samuel P. Golden Invitational with the third-lowest 54-hole total in school history (69-66-72—207). Bunabodee ended the fall with her best showing as a Boilermaker, a fourth-place finish at the Landfall Tradition. If she returns with her fall form, Bunabodee could provide a huge spark to the Purdue lineup.
INEZ'S EXPERIENCE
In her fifth season as a Boilermaker, Inez Wanamarta brings veteran leadership to a team looking to return to a seventh straight NCAA Regional. The Surabaya, Indonesia, native has played in 108 rounds for the Old Gold and Black, while totaling 40 tournaments over her career. She started as the 2018 Big Ten Freshman of the Year before earning all-league honors for the second time as a sophomore. With her junior season cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic and pushing the start of the 2021 season to the spring, Wanamarta was given an extra year of eligibility and looks to make the most of it as her Purdue Golf career winds down.
A PERFECT WEEK
Two Boilermakers went 3-0 at Big Ten Match Play (Jan. 31 – Feb. 1) to get their spring season off to a hot start. Competing in just her third event as a Boilermaker, redshirt-freshman Jocelyn Bruch won all three of her matches, including a 5-and-3 victory in the championship match. Inez Wanamarta was also perfect throughout the tournament, showcasing her senior leadership. After defeating a Hoosier and Badger, Wanamarta tried to push Purdue past Northwestern with a decisive 4-and-3 win to pick up a point. However, it was not to be, as the Wildcats took the championship match.
NEXT ON THE TEE
After playing tournaments back-to-back weeks, the Boilermakers have a couple of weekends off before returning to the course. Purdue makes the trip to Augusta, Georgia for the Valspar Augusta Invitational (March 12-13).
BOILERMAKER UPDATES
For updates throughout the tournament, follow Purdue Women's Golf on Twitter @PurdueWGolf.