Women’s Golf Returns to Action This Weekend in Georgia

AUGUSTA, Ga. – After a couple of weeks off, Purdue Women's Golf returns to the links for its first March tournament. The Boilermakers head back down south for the Valspar Augusta Invitational at Forest Hills Golf Club (March 12-13). The tournament is an annual stop on Purdue's schedule, as the Boilermakers have competed in the last four renditions of the tournament.
 
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Saturday, March 12: Rounds 1 and 2 (8 a.m. shotgun start)
Sunday, March 13: Round 3 (9 a.m. shotgun start)
 
THE LINEUP (+1 INDIVIDUAL)
Ashley Kozlowski – So. (8 a.m. tee time on No. 10)

• Making her 11th appearance as a Boilermaker and her third of the spring
• Last time out, tied for 23rd at the ICON Invitational (Feb. 21-22) with an even-par 216 (69-76-71)
• Leads the team in pars (189) and rounds in the 60s (2)
• 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

Kan Bunnabodee – Jr. (8 a.m. tee time on No. 10)

• Ranked 53rd in Golfweek's national rankings and 58th according to Golfstat
• Leads the team in stroke average (71.87), birdies (56) and rounds in the 60s (2)
• Making her sixth appearance of the 2021-22 season and the 16th of her career
• In her spring debut, tied for 16th at the ICON Invitational (Feb. 21-22) with a team-best 2-under 214 (70-74-70)
• 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

Jocelyn Bruch – R-Fr. (8 a.m. tee time on No. 11)

• Tied for 36th at the ICON Invitational last time out (75-71-74—220), her best finish as a Boilermaker, which included her first career eagle
• Is appearing in her sixth event of the year, holding a 75.00 stroke average, after redshirting last season
• Started the spring by going 3-0 in Big Ten Match Play, helping Purdue finish runner-up
• Fired a 2-under 70 to lead the Boilermakers in the final round of the Sam Golden Invitational (Sept. 13-14)
• Won the Indiana High School Athletic Association state championship in 2018

Danielle du Toit – Sr. (8 a.m. tee time on No. 11)

• Making her 29th appearance as a Boilermaker, the second most on the team
• Competed as an individual at the Columbia Classic (Feb. 13-14), placing 41st
• Tied for fifth at the 2019 Valspar Augusta Invitational (72-71-73—216), leading Purdue to a runner-up finish
• Her round of 73 led Purdue in the final round of the Windy City Classic at the difficult Westmoreland Club (Oct. 6)
• One of three Boilermakers to record an eagle this season

Inez Wanamarta – Sr. (8 a.m. tee time on No. 12)

• Making her 42nd appearance as a Boilermaker, which includes 111 rounds of stroke play over her Purdue career; both are team highs
• Holds a 72.60 stroke average on the season, second-best on the team
• Led Purdue at the Columbia Classic (Feb. 13-14), tying for eighth (75-72-73—220) for her best finish of the season
• Started the spring by going 3-0 in Big Ten Match Play, helping Purdue finish runner-up
• 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

Thitapa Pakdeesettakul – Sr. (Competing as an individual, 8 a.m. tee time on No. 18)

• Making her 10th appearance as a Boilermaker, her fourth of the season
• Holds a 73.50 stroke average to rank third on the team
• Led Purdue at the 2021 Valspar Augusta Invitational, tying for 17th with an 1-under 215 (70-76-69)
• Tied for 10th at the Illini Invitational (Oct. 11-12) with a 4-under 212 (69-73-70), her first career top-10 finish
• Earned Second Team All-Big Ten accolades last season, her first as a Boilermaker after transferring from Kent State

THE FIELD (Golfstat Rankings)
Augusta
#9 Alabama
Coastal Carolina
#14 Florida State
Furman
Georgia Southern
Memphis
Miami
Minnesota
#25 Ole Miss
Purdue
San Diego State
#4 South Carolina
South Florida
Tennessee
#23 Virginia Tech
 
THE COURSE
Established in 1926 and the home course of Augusta University, Forest Hills is a much-loved staple within the Augusta, Georgia golf community. This 18-hole course holds remarkable history from Bobby Jones' beginning. Originally designed by world renowned course architect Donald Ross, the course was renovated by the Arnold Palmer Company in 2003. The public course is a popular place to play when patrons come to town for The Masters each April.
 
PURDUE IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
The Boilermakers enter the tournament ranked No. 37 by Golfweek and 38th in Golfstat's national rankings. Speaking of national rankings, Purdue goes up against a stacked field at this week's event. Five of the 16 teams in the field are ranked in Golfstat's Top 25.
 
LAST TIME ON THE LINKS
Last time out, Purdue finished sixth at the ICON Invitational (Feb. 21-22). The Boilermakers (287-294-287—868) posted two under-par rounds on The Golf Club of Houston's Tournament Course to place in the top half of a stacked field. Purdue (+4) finished ahead of ranked opponents No. 23 Ole Miss (+5) and No. 20 TCU (+16) as well as conference foes Maryland (+8) and Michigan State (+8).
 
A FAMILIAR TOURNAMENT
Purdue has been in the field for the last four renditions of Augusta's tournament at Forest Hills Golf Club. The Boilermakers have had success at the event over the years, winning the team title in 2017 as well as recording a pair of runner-up finishes in 2018 and 2019. The current Purdue team is familiar with the course as well. Five of the six Boilermakers in the field this week competed in last year's tournament. Only Jocelyn Bruch, who redshirted last season, will be seeing Forest Hills Golf Club for the first time.
 
BUNNABODEE'S SPRING DEBUT
Kan Bunnabodee started the spring right where she left off in the fall, leading the Boilermakers for the third time in her five tournament appearances this season. At the ICON Invitational (Feb. 21-22), she finished under par for the tournament (-2) and tied for 16th. Wrapping up her spring debut, her 54-hole total of 214 (70-74-70) ensured her third top-20 showing of the 2021-22 campaign. She placed in the top 10 in two tournaments during the fall, 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). Bunnabodee ended the fall with her best showing as a Boilermaker, a fourth-place finish at the Landfall Tradition.
 
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 111 rounds for the Old Gold and Black, while totaling 41 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.
 
NEXT ON THE TEE
The Boilermakers get two weeks off before returning to action, staying south for the Clemson Invitational (March 25-27).
 
BOILERMAKER UPDATES
For updates throughout the tournament, follow Purdue Women's Golf on Twitter @PurdueWGolf.