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Women’s Golf Begins Byrd Era in Tennessee
Women’s Golf Begins Byrd Era in TennesseeWomen’s Golf Begins Byrd Era in Tennessee

Women’s Golf Begins Byrd Era in Tennessee

Purdue Women's Golf begins the 2022-23 fall season at the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Sept. 19-20). Entering the fall receiving a vote in the WGCA Preseason Coaches Poll, the Boilermakers tee off against 13 other teams in the first tournament under head coach Zack Byrd.

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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Women's Golf begins the 2022-23 fall season at the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Sept. 19-20). Entering the fall receiving a vote in the WGCA Preseason Coaches Poll, the Boilermakers tee off against 13 other teams in the first tournament under head coach Zack Byrd.

TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Monday, Sept. 19: Rounds 1 and 2 (8:30 a.m. ET Shotgun Start)
Tuesday, Sept. 20: Round 3 (8:45 a.m. ET Shotgun Start)
 
THE LINEUP
Momo Sugiyama – So.
  • Making her first appearance as a Boilermaker but playing in her 12th collegiate tournament
  • Transferred to Purdue after earning First Team All-Big West accolades as a freshman at Hawaii
  • Set new Hawaii single-season records for stroke average (73.4), rounds of par-or-better (13), birdies (85) and 54-hole score (211)
  • Captured the individual title at the Couer d'Alene Collegiate, where she carded a 1-under 212 total that included a final round 3-under 69
  • Cracked the Top 10 in eight of the 11 tournaments
Danielle du Toit – Sr.
  • Making her 35th appearance as a Boilermaker, the most on the team
  • Won a men's tournament over the summer, capturing the IGA Challenge Tour's Road to #5 at Akasia Golf Club in her home country of South Africa
  • Led Purdue at the 2022 NCAA Stanford Regional, tying for 14th with a season-low 215 (71-73-71)
  • Produced the low round eight times during the season, including two of the three rounds at the Big Ten Championship (April 22-24)
  • Earned Second Team All-Big Ten honors as a freshman during the 2018-19 season
Jocelyn Bruch – R-Fr.
  • Making her 11th appearance as a Boilermaker
  • Played in 10 tournaments, recording a 76.52 stroke average last season
  • Tied for ninth at the 2022 Michigan PGA Women's Open over the summer, competing against professionals; her performance featured a hole-in-one during the opening round
  • Started last spring by going 3-0 in Big Ten Match Play, helping Purdue finish runner-up
  • Earned Academic All-Big Ten accolades
Sifat Sagoo – Jr.
  • Making her 20th appearance as a Boilermaker, holding a career stroke average of 74.45
  • Played in seven tournaments, recording a 76.21 stroke average a season ago
  • Tied for 19th at the NCAA Stanford Regional with a season-low 217 (69-76-72) that included a team-best 69 (-2) in the opening round; the Top-20 finish was her best of the season
  • Earned Academic All-Big Ten honors
  • Recorded a team-best 73.60 stroke average during the 2021 spring season
Jade Gu – R-Fr.
  • Won the first qualifier to secure her spot in the lineup
  • Finished runner-up at the 2022 Pennsylvania Women's Am
  • Tied for 16th at the 2022 Canadian Women's Am
  • Redshirted a season ago
THE FIELD (Rankings – WGCA Preseason Coaches Poll)
Augusta
BYU
Chattanooga
Kent State
Maryland
Mercer
Michigan
Michigan State
Purdue
Tennessee
UCF
#10 Virginia
Virginia Tech
Wake Forest
 
THE COURSE
  • Situated on the banks of the Tennessee River in West Knoxville, Cherokee Country Club is a par 71 that plays either 5,844 yards or 5,930 yards.
  • Founded in 1907, Cherokee is Knoxville's oldest and most prestigious golf course and country club.
  • The course was originally designed by Donald Ross, in his time considered to be one of America's outstanding golf course architects; the spacious clubhouse stands above the scenic Tennessee River, with a breathtaking view of the Great Smoky Mountains.
HISTORY AT THE TOURNAMENT
  • Purdue will be making its 10th appearance in the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship, but its first since 2012 when current LPGA Boilermaker Paula Reto captured medalist honors.
  • The Boilermakers have produced four Top-3 finishes in its history at the event, including a team title in 2001.
  • During the 2001 victory, a five-shot victory over Auburn, Kari Damron led the way as medalist and Caroline Laurens produced a top-five performance of her own.
  • Purdue was tournament runner-up in 2005 and 2007, while the 2012 Boilermakers placed third.
NEW LEADERS
  • Following the retirement of legendary coach Devon Brouse, Zack Byrd was named the new head coach of Purdue Women's Golf.
  • One of the top recruiters in the country, Byrd made the move to West Lafayette after spending four seasons at Ole Miss.
  • Byrd helped the Rebels capture the 2021 NCAA National Championship, the first women's team national championship in Ole Miss history.
  • Prior to beginning his coaching career, Byrd spent 10 years as a professional golfer; his career featured an appearance in the 2011 U.S. Open and qualifying for the final stage of PGA Tour Q School.
  • Byrd hired Lauren Guiao as assistant coach; Guiao made the move to coaching and returned to the program after playing in 20 tournaments over her Purdue career (2017-21).
PRESEASON B1G HONOREES
  • A trio of Boilermakers were named Big Ten Preseason Women's Golf Honorees, the conference office announced ahead of the season. Kan Bunnabodee, Danielle du Toit and Ashley Kozlowski received the recognition.
  • Bunnabodee earned First Team All-Big Ten honors a season ago, becoming the first Boilermaker to land on the league's first team since 2018; she will miss the fall due to injury.
  • Du Toit is the veteran of the group, playing in 34 tournaments as a Boilermaker; she played her best golf late last spring and looks to continue that momentum into her senior season.
  • Kozlowski played in a team-high 12 tournaments during the 2021-22 campaign; the Littleton, Colorado, native led the Boilermakers in birdies (86) and pars (379) throughout the season.
2021-22 RECAP
  • The Boilermakers made a thrilling postseason run to send off longtime coach Devon Brouse at the NCAA Championships, finishing 12th at the national stage.
  • Purdue advanced to the NCAA Championships after tying for fourth at the NCAA Stanford Regional; the Boilermakers went to a sudden death playoff with Northwestern for the final qualifying spot and emerged victorious over the Wildcats.
  • The Boilermakers got revenge on the Wildcats after Northwestern beat Purdue in the final of Big Ten Match Play; the runner-up finish was Purdue's best showing of the season.
  • Purdue recorded a pair of third-place performances at the Illini Invitational and the Indiana Invitational.
  • Kan Bunnabodee (First Team) and Inez Wanamarta (Second Team) earned All-Big Ten honors.
  • Six golfers were named Academic All-Big Ten: Daniela Ballesteros, Jocelyn Bruch, Kan Bunnabodee, Ashley Kozlowski, Sifat Sagoo and Inez Wanamarta.
FROM THE ISLAND TO THE MAINLAND
  • Head coach Zack Byrd made a splash in his first month at Purdue, bringing in First Team All-Big West golfer Momo Sugiyama from Hawaii.
  • The Gold Coast, Australia, native set four school records in her lone season on the island, including scoring average (73.4), total birdies (85), rounds of par-or-better (13) and 54-hole total (211).
  • As a freshman, Sugiyama led the Rainbow Wahine to the first conference championship in school history.
  • Sugiyama finished in the Top 10 in eight of her 11 tournament appearances.
MISSING ALL-B1G GOLFERS
  • Purdue enters the fall without two All-Big Ten golfers from a season ago.
  • Kan Bunnabodee, the first Boilermaker to earn first team honors since 2018, will miss the fall after getting surgery over the summer.
  • The Boilermakers lost Inez Wanamarta, Second Team All-B1G, to graduation.
  • While Bunnabodee looks to be 100 percent in the spring, Wanamarta leaves a void as a three-time All-B1G golfer.
  • Wanamarta played in 47 tournaments as a Boilermaker, finishing her career ranked fourth in program history in career stroke average (73.77); she placed ninth at the 2022 NCAA Championships, leading the team in her final tournament for Purdue.
A LOOK AT THE SCHEDULE
  • The Boilermakers are set to travel the country, playing in 10 different states throughout the season.
  • The 2022-23 slate features four tournaments in the fall before six spring tournaments prep Purdue for the Big Ten Championship and NCAA Regionals.
  • Following the season-opening tournament, the Boilermakers head to Illinois for back-to-back weeks.
NEXT ON THE TEE
  • Purdue returns to the Windy City Collegiate Classic (Oct. 3-4) for the ninth straight season, with this year's event taking place at Exmoor Country Club.