Women’s Golf Returns to Action at FSU Match Up

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – After being away from competition for nearly a month, Purdue Women's Golf heads south for a spring break tournament in Florida. The Boilermakers are set to compete in a unique tournament, partnering with Kent State for the Florida State Match Up at Seminole Legacy Golf Club (March 17-19).  
 
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

• Friday, March 17: Round 1 (Tee Times beginning at 8:45 a.m. ET)
• Saturday, March 18: Round 2 (Tee Times beginning at 8:45 a.m. ET)
• Sunday, March 19: Round 3 (Tee Times beginning at 8:30 a.m. ET)

THE LINEUP (+1 INDIVIDUAL)
Ashley Kozlowski – Jr.

• Playing in her 23rd tournament as a Boilermaker, including her sixth of the season
• Holds a 74.3 stroke average this season after recording a 75.1 stroke average over 12 tournaments last season
• Named B1G Women's Golfer of the Week (Feb. 15), becoming the first Boilermaker to earn the honor since 2019
• Led Purdue to a win at the Tulane Classic, placing runner-up for the best finish of her career
• Has recorded a team-best two eagles this season
• Led Purdue in birdies (86) and pars (379) throughout the 2021-22 season
• 2021-22 Academic All-Big Ten

Danielle du Toit – Sr.

• Has played in 40 tournaments as a Boilermaker, the most on the team, totaling 110 rounds
• Ranks second on the team in stroke average (73.3)
• Placed a career-best third to help Purdue win the Tulane Classic to start the spring
• Tied for the team's best performance at the Illini Invitational, placing 26th at 3-under (72-67-74—218)
• Her 67 (-5) in the second round of the Illini Invitational matched a career low and was the best round of the season by a Boilermaker; it was also her 100th round at Purdue
• 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

Kan Bunnabodee – Sr.

• Appearing in her 22nd tournament as a Boilermaker
• Made her season debut at the Tulane Classic, tying for 17th to help Purdue capture the team title
• Missed the entire fall due to injury
• Earned First Team All-Big Ten accolades last season, becoming the first Boilermaker to earn first team honors since 2018
• Ranked in the Top 100 of Golfstat's national rankings throughout the 2021-22 season
• Recorded a 73.69 stroke average a season ago, which included three rounds in the 60s
• 2021-22 Academic All-Big Ten

Momo Sugiyama – So.

• Ranked No. 76 in Golfstat's national rankings
• Leads the team in scoring average (72.5), birdies (54) and pars (211)
• Has led Purdue in four tournaments as a Boilermaker, including a fourth-place finish (75-74-69—218) at the Windy City Collegiate Classic
• Has produced the lowest score nine out of 18 rounds this season, including a team-best four rounds in the 60s
• Making her seventh appearance as a Boilermaker but playing in her 18th 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 (73.40), rounds of par-or-better (13), birdies (85) and 54-hole score (211)

Daniela Ballesteros – Sr.

• Making her 15th career appearance as a Boilermaker, including the third time this season
• Competing as an individual, tied for 29th (73-73-75—221) at The Show, the best finish of her career
• Played in seven tournaments a season ago, recording a 77.65 stroke average
• Helped Purdue finish runner-up at 2022 Big Ten Match Play, going 2-1 in her three matches
• Won the 2022 South American Amateur Open in Ecuador
• 2021-22 Academic All-Big Ten

Jade Gu – R-Fr. (Competing as an individual)

• Playing in her sixth tournament of the season, which also matches her career appearances as a Boilermaker
• Competing as an individual for the third straight event
• Tied for 26th in her Purdue debut, second best on the team, at the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship with a 3-over 216 (73-71-72)
• 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
Augusta
Coastal Carolina
Daytona State
East Tennessee State
#12 Florida State (host)
Kent State
Kentucky
Mercer
Notre Dame
Oklahoma
Purdue
Tulane
 
A UNIQUE TOURNAMENT

• The 10th annual Florida State Match Up is a unique tournament, featuring 12 teams that partner up with one other team to form six pairs competing against one another.
• The Match Up portion of the tournament will be determined by taking the best four scores from the partners (which is a total of ten players) and the worst score to make the Match Up team total. At the end of the tournament, the teams with the lowest score will win the Match Up.
• The event will also be conducted as a regular tournament, crowning team and individual champions alongside the Match Up champions.

THE COURSE

• Seminole Legacy Golf Club, a par 72, will play at 6,255 yards for the FSU Match Up.
• Formerly known as Don Veller Seminole Golf Course, Seminole Legacy Golf Club recently completed a comprehensive renovation of its golf facilities under the direction of the Nicklaus Design company.
• The golf course was originally designed by Bill Amick and opened to the public in 1962.

BUSY SCHEDULE

• The Boilermakers remain busy as they look to earn a berth to an NCAA Regional, competing in five tournaments over the next six weekends.
• Purdue plays each of the next three weekends, heading to Georgia following the FSU Match Up for the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic (March 24-26). Then, the Boilermakers travel to Texas to battle foes in The Bruzzy Challenge hosted by North Texas (April 1-2).
• After a week off, Purdue competes in the Lady Buckeye Invitational (April 15-16), the final tune-up ahead of the Big Ten Championship at Fox Chapel Golf Club in Pittsburgh (April 21-23).

LAST TIME OUT

• The last time Purdue was in competition was February 20-21 in Las Vegas. The Boilermakers placed 10th in The Show, finishing 25-over as a team (296-297-296—889).
• Purdue made 186 pars throughout The Show, leading the field.
• Daniela Ballesteros tied for 29th competing as an individual, her best performance as a Boilermaker, to earn a spot into the lineup at this week's FSU Match Up.

TULANE CLASSIC CHAMPIONS

• Purdue began the spring season on the right note, defeating 17 teams to win the Tulane Classic at English Turn Golf & Country Club in New Orleans (Feb. 12-14).
• In just the fifth tournament under first-year head coach Zack Byrd, the Boilermakers captured their first team title since winning the 2018 Illini Women's Invitational.
• The Boilermakers (+33) used Top-5 individual performances from Ashley Kozlowski (second), Danielle du Toit (third) and Momo Sugiyama (fifth) to secure a four-shot victory.
• The Boilermakers recorded 37 birdies throughout the 54-hole tournament, the most by any team. Purdue also paced the field in par-3 scoring (E) and par-5 scoring (+1) on the difficult par 72 course.
• For leading Purdue to victory, Kozlowski was named B1G Golfer of the Week following the tournament.

BYRD ERA UNDERWAY

• 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).