WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – After finishing runner-up in the tournament a season ago, Purdue Women’s Golf returns to the Briar’s Creek Invitational for the third straight season. The Boilermakers battle 14 other teams at the Golf Club at Briar’s Creek on Johns Island, South Carolina (March 16-17)
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Monday, March 16: Rounds 1 and 2 (8:30 a.m. ET Shotgun Start)
Tuesday, March 17: Final Round (8:45 a.m. ET Shotgun Start)
THE LINEUP (+1 INDIVIDUAL)
Samantha Brown – So.
- Ranked No. 174 in the nation
- Playing in her team-leading 23rd tournament for Purdue, including the 22nd time in the lineup
- Paces Purdue with a 73.05 stroke average as well as team-low round (11), birdies (67) and Top 20 finishes (4)
- Thirteen of her 22 rounds have been par-or-better, including four rounds in the 60s, leading the Boilermakers in both categories
- Last time out, produced the best finish of her career, placing fourth at the Shootout at Wachesaw and recording the fourth-lowest 36-hole total in program history (70-71—141); paced the field in par-5 scoring (-2), while also ranking third in par-4 scoring (-2)
- Tied for fifth at the Spartan Sun Coast Invitational with a 2-over 218 (71-76-71); ranked fourth in the field in par-5 scoring (-4)
- Began the Purdue Puerto Rico Classic with a career-low 68 (-4) to match the lowest round by a Boilermaker this season
- Paced the Boilermakers at the Windy City Collegiate Classic, tying for 18th with an even-par 216 (69-76-71) to match her personal best; ranked fourth in the field in par-5 scoring (-6) throughout the tournament and recorded her third career hole-in-one in the first round
- Started the season by leading Purdue at the Boilermaker Classic, tying for ninth by finishing even par (75-72-69—216) for her first career Top 10 performance; her 54-hole total was a career low
- Held a 75.76 stroke average a season ago, leading the team’s freshmen; led Purdue in eagles (4), including a pair of hole-in-ones, while ranking second on the team in pars (428)
- 2025 WGCA All-American Scholar
Luana Valero – Fr.
- Has been in the lineup in all eight tournaments
- Ranks fourth on the team with a 74.14 stroke average
- Leads the team with four eagles and ranks second in pars (241)
- Last time out, earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors after setting the freshman school record for lowest 36-hole total (74-72—146) and tying for 10th at the Shootout at Wachesaw for her first career Top 10; made seven birdies to rank fourth in the field
- Named Big Ten Freshman of the Week to close out the fall, carding a career-low 218 (71-73-74) at the Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invitational
- Tied for 23rd at the Canadian Collegiate Invitational (74-73—147), her best finish as a Boilermaker; her 73 (+1) tied for Purdue’s lowest final round
- Tied for 28th (73-80-72—225) at the Boilermaker Classic, her collegiate debut
- In the final round of the Boilermaker Classic, eagled the par-4 seventh
- Placed third at the 2025 Women’s Amateur Latin America
- Rose to No. 166 in the world in the World Amateur Golf Ranking and entered Purdue ranked No. 187
- 17 ranked prospect in the world, including No. 3 among players signed by Big Ten programs, according to Golf Channel's Brentley Romine
- Won nine tournaments and racked up 32 Top 10 finishes over three years entering her Purdue career
Lauren Timpf – So.
- Ranked No. 178 in the nation
- Leads Purdue in pars (256) and Top 20 finishes (4), while ranking second in stroke average (73.14), team-low round (7) and rounds in the 60s (3)
- Making her 21st appearance as a Boilermaker, including the 16th in the Purdue lineup
- Has paced the Boilermakers in three of the eight tournaments this season, including the Purdue Puerto Rico Classic (75-71-68—214) in which she ranked fourth in par-3 scoring (-3); her final round 68 (-4) was a career low and matched the lowest round of the season by a Boilermaker
- Led Purdue at the Canadian Collegiate Invitational with the ninth-best 36-hole total in program history (71-73—144); tied for 13th on the individual leaderboard and ranked third in par-4 scoring (-1)
- Played her best golf as a Boilermaker with a career-low 211 (70-69-72) to place third at the Wolverine Invitational; led the field in birdies (12) and par-5 scoring (-3), while ranking third in par-4 scoring (-2)
- Tied for 15th at the season-opening Boilermaker Classic with a 219 (69-76-74); ranked third in the field in par-3 scoring (-2)
- Produced a 75.94 stroke average a season ago
- Played her best golf of last season at the NCAA Lubbock Regional; her 14th-place finish, 54-hole total (73-76-70—219) and final round 70 (-2) were all season bests, and she ranked fourth in the field in par-5 scoring (-5) throughout the week
- 2025 WGCA All-American Scholar
Ashley Kim – Jr.
- Has been in the lineup in all eight tournaments
- Holds a 73.50 stroke average, ranking third on the team
- Last time out, tied for 19th (74-76—150) at the Shootout at Wachesaw for her team-leading fourth Top 20 of the season
- Led Purdue at the Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invitational, tying for 14th (71-73-71—215)
- Placed 25th (+2) at the Windy City Collegiate Classic
- Tied for fifth at the Wolverine Invitational with a 216 (75-70-71), which included a second round 70 (-1); ranked third in the field in par-5 scoring (-2)
- In her Purdue debut, tied for 18th at the Boilermaker Classic (72-73-76—221)
- Transferred to Purdue after spending the past two seasons at Arkansas State and becoming one of the best golfers in program history
- Last season, set Arkansas State’s single-season school record for stroke average (71.70)
- Three-time Sun Belt Conference Golfer of the Week
- Shot par-or-better in 12 of her 20 rounds, the third most in a single season in program history
- Claimed medalist honors and led Arkansas State to a victory at the Maverick Classic by matching the lowest 54-hole total in school history; fired a 12-under 204 (66-68-70), and her 6-under 66 in the opening round was the second-lowest round ever by an ASU golfer
- Made 88 birdies as a freshman at ASU, ranking second in program history
Ella Weber – Jr.
- Playing in her ninth tournament as a Boilermaker, including her fifth in the lineup
- Has recorded three eagles, including a pair on par 4s, to rank second on the team
- Holds a 77.18 stroke average
- Last time out, competing as an individual, tied for 11th in the Shootout at Wachesaw (74-73—147), her best finish as a Boilermaker
- Carded a career-low 219 (72-72-75) at the Purdue Puerto Rico Classic
- Returning to her home country and making her first appearance in the Purdue lineup, tied for 59th at the Canadian Collegiate Invitational (84-77—161)
- Tied for 25th at the Wolverine Invitational (79-75-69—233); her final round 69 (-2) was her best round as a Boilermaker
- Transferred to Purdue after spending the past two seasons at Michigan State
- Qualified for the 2025 U.S. Women’s Am at Bandon Dunes
- Tied for 11th at the 2025 PGA Women’s Championship of Canada and placed 16th at the Glencoe Invitational, a pair of Canadian pro events
Michaela Headlee – So. (Competing as an individual)
- Appearing in her sixth tournament of the season
- Holds a 76.79 stroke average
- Last time out, tied for 29th in the Shootout at Wachesaw (74-78—152)
- Competed as an individual at the Purdue Puerto Rico Classic and carded a career-low 222 (76-73-73)
- Featuring in the lineup for the first time in her career, tied for 42nd (75-79-74—228) at the Boilermaker Classic
- Competed in six tournaments as a freshman, all as an individual
- Recorded a 78.47 stroke average during her freshman season
- Tied for 22nd at the Coach Mo Classic (70-80-76—226), which included a career-low 70 in the opening round
- Fired a season-low 225 (73-73-79) to place 28th at the Boilermaker Spring Classic
Ida Lindqvist – Fr. (Competing as an individual)
- Playing in the sixth tournament of her freshman season
- Holds a 76.64 stroke average
- Ranked second in the Windy City Collegiate Classic field in par-3 scoring (-2); she birdied three of the four par 3s in the final round
- Began the Windy City Collegiate Classic with a career-low 71 (-1)
- At the Canadian Collegiate Invitational, made her first appearance in the lineup and tied for 61st (85-78—163)
- Competing as an individual in her Purdue debut, tied for 51st at the season-opening Boilermaker Classic (74-79-78—231); her tournament included an eagle
- Rose as high as No. 803 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking
- Led her school to a pair of national championships (2022, 2023) and a runner-up finish (2024)
- Recorded a 75.14 stroke average in 2024, highlighted by a sixth-place finish at the Swedish Juniortour Elite No. 6 tournament
- Was a member of the Swedish Girls National Team in 2023, competing internationally throughout Europe
THE FIELD
Boston College
Clemson
College of Charleston (Host)
East Carolina
Georgia
Iowa
Maryland
Miami (FL)
Michigan State
NC State
Notre Dame
Penn State
Purdue
#24 SMU
#12 UCF
THE COURSE
- The Golf Club at Briar’s Creek is a par 72 layout that will measure 6,152 yards for the tournament.
- Designed by Rees Jones, the course covers 800 acres of Johns Island, South Carolina.
- The course even features a 50-yard 19th hole but obviously will not be played during the event.
LAST YEAR AT BRIAR’S CREEK
- Last year, Jasmine Kahler tied a 36-hole school record to lead Purdue to a runner-up finish at the Briar's Creek Invitational. The Boilermakers tied for second alongside SMU at 5-over and 14 shots back of No. 6 Florida State (-9). Purdue's 581 (291-290) became the third-best 36-hole team score in school history.
- Kahler earned runner-up honors herself with her 6-under 138 (70-68) that matched Melati Purti's two-round program best set at the 2019 Big Ten Championships.
- Momo Sugiyama was only two strokes behind Kahler, firing a 70 (-2) for the second straight round to finish 4-under for the tournament and earn the eighth Top-5 performance of her Purdue career. Her 140 (70-70) total became the third-best 36-hole score in school history, just behind the record marks of Kahler and Purti.
VALERO 2-TIME B1G FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
- After setting a new Purdue freshman record, Luana Valero was named the Big Ten Women’s Golf Freshman of the Week, the conference office announced on Thursday afternoon (March 12). Valero earned the accolade for the second time this season after collecting the honor at the end of the fall.
- In the one-day, 36-hole Shootout at Wachesaw at Murrells Inlet, South Carolina (March 9), Valero put together a performance that etched her name in the school record book. The Medellin, Colombia, native carded a 74 (+2) in the opening round before adding a 72 (E) in the afternoon, giving her a 36-hole total of 146 that set a new Purdue freshman record. She also tied for 10th on the individual leaderboard for her first career Top 10. Valero made seven birdies throughout the tournament, ranking fourth in the field.
- Valero’s first Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor came in the fall when she carded a career-best 218 (71-73-74) at the Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invitational (Oct. 17-19). She tied for 26th on the individual leaderboard in a field that featured six Top 25 teams, helping Purdue finish one shot ahead of No. 1 Wake Forest, who entered the tournament undefeated.
- The freshman has made an immediate impact for the Boilermakers this season, cracking the lineup in all eight tournaments. Valero holds a 74.14 stroke average, on pace to be the fifth-best stroke average by a freshman in school history. Along her team-high four eagles, she ranks second in pars (241).
ONE WEEK AGO
- Samantha Brown fired a pair of under-par rounds to lead Purdue in the one-day, 36-hole Shootout at Wachesaw (March 9). The sophomore Boilermaker carded rounds of 70 (-2) and 71 (-1) at Wachesaw Plantation Club, placing fourth on the individual leaderboard by recording the fourth-best 36-hole total in school history (70-71—141) and helping the Boilermakers (+8) finish fourth as a team.
- Brown finished 3-under to etch her name into the school record book, cracking the Top 5 for 36-hole scores. With back-to-back under-par rounds, she increased her total to a team-high 13 par-or-better rounds this season. Her fourth-place finish was the best of her career and her second straight Top 5 performance after tying for fifth at last month’s Spartan Sun Coast Invitational. The sophomore paced the field in par-5 scoring (-2), while also ranking third in par-4 scoring (-2).
- Freshman Luana Valero tied for 10th individually to earn the first Top 10 of her collegiate career. The Colombian carded a 74 (+2) to start the day before four birdies in her second round led to an even-par 72. Valero’s 2-over 146 (74-72) set a new freshman record and cracked the Top 20 for best 36-hole totals in program history, tying for 17th.
WINNING WITH BYRD AND GUIAO
- Purdue Women’s Golf is in its fourth season under the leadership of head coach Zack Byrd and assistant coach Lauren Guiao. Over the past three years, the dynamic duo has brought the winning tradition back to West Lafayette.
- Purdue has won five tournaments under Byrd and Guiao, the most in a three-year span since winning six from 2012-14.
- After starting off the 2024-25 season with a win at the Boilermaker Classic, a victory at the Coach Mo Classic gave the Boilermakers multiple tournament wins in consecutive seasons for the first time since a six-year stretch from the fall of 2005 to the spring of 2011.
- Purdue has also claimed victories at the 2023 Boilermaker Classic, the 2023 Tulane Classic and the 2023 Mary Fossum Invitational with Byrd at the helm.
- The Boilermakers have advanced to nationals in each of the past two seasons. With the men making the NCAA Championships as well, Purdue is the only Big Ten school and one of only seven programs nationally to send both men’s and women’s teams to the national stage the past two years.
- Purdue collected just one tournament title in the five seasons prior to Byrd's arrival.
A LOOK AT THE REST OF THE SPRING
- Ending the month of March, the Boilermakers travel to St. Augustine, Florida to defend their title at the Coach Mo Classic (March 30-31).
- Serving as the final tune-up before the conference championship, Purdue welcomes teams back to West Lafayette for the Boilermaker Spring Classic. The spring tournament will take place on the other BBGC Pete Dye course, Ackerman-Allen (April 12-13).
- After venturing to the east coast the past two years to compete for a conference title, Purdue travels more than 2,000 miles for the 2026 Big Ten Championships. The league tournament is set to take place at Oakmont Country Club in Glendale, California (April 24-26).
- Rounding out the schedule, the Boilermakers plan to hear their names called for postseason play in one of six NCAA Regionals (May 11-13) with sights set on a third straight trip to the NCAA Championships in Carlsbad, California (May 22-27).