ANNAPOLIS, Md. – After tallying a first-place finish at the Bucknell Invitational last time out, the Navy women's golf team is set to return to action this weekend as it hosts the Navy Fall Invitational at the USNA Golf Club.
The invitational will begin Saturday at 8:30 a.m. followed by an 8 a.m. start on Sunday, with 18 holes being played each day in the 36-hole tournament. Live results of the competition will be available via NavySports.com for both days of action.
THE FIELD
Joining Navy in the field for the Navy Fall Invitational will be Bucknell, Delaware State, Fairleigh Dickinson, La Salle, Lehigh, Monmouth, Mount St. Mary's, Niagara, Quinnipiac, Richmond, Sacred Heart and Wagner.
THE COURSE
The United States Naval Academy Golf Course, managed by the Naval Academy Golf Association, is a par-72 course that will play at 6,084 yards.
NAVY'S LINEUP
1 –
Mara Hirtle (So., Pinehurst, N.C.)
2 –
Tori Smith (Sr., Arlington, Tenn.)
3 –
Eve Worden (Jr., Phoenix, Ariz.)
4 –
Angelina Chan (Jr., Franklin, Tenn.)
5 –
Stephanie Lee (So., Southlake, Texas)
Competing as individuals:
Bridget Hoang (Fr., Lawrenceville, Ga.),
Jenna Han (Fr., Mahwah, N.J.) and
Hannah Han-Kim (Fr., Potomac, Md.)
LAST TIME OUT
Mara Hirtle (So., Pinehurst, N.C.), the reigning Patriot League Women's Golfer of the Week, finished tied for first in the individual standings with an 8-over par 218, propelling the Navy women's golf team to the team title at the Bucknell Invitational. The Midshipmen posted a three-round score of 45-over par 885 at the Bucknell Golf Club in Lewisburg, Pa.
Hirtle narrowly missed out on medalist honors, with Howard's Reese Wilson being named the tournament champion after posting a lower final-round score at 2-over par 72.
The Midshipmen turned in a dominant performance over the two-day tournament, with its 45-over par 885 finish being 39 strokes better than the next closest team (Lehigh, 84-over par 924). Additionally, the overall score of 885 marks the best score for a 54-hole tournament in program history, besting the previous low-score by nine strokes (894, 2018 Nittany Lion Invitational).
SCOUTING THE MIDSHIPMEN
In addition to the record-setting performance by Hirtle, the Midshipmen saw several strong performances from the rest of its participants at the Bucknell Invitational.
Tori Smith (Sr., Arlington, Tenn.) finished just one shot off the lead, recording an overall score of 9-over par 219. The senior opened the tournament with a 4-over par 74 before shooting a tremendous 1-under par 69 in Saturday's second round, the lowest single-round score of her career along with tying the fourth-lowest single round score in program history.
Smith ultimately finished third in the individual standings after posting a 6-over par 76 in Sunday's final round.
Angelina Chan (Jr., Franklin, Tenn.) and
Eve Worden (Jr., Phoenix, Ariz.) finished tied for fifth in the individual standings after each posted a 13-over par 223.
Chan, who competed as an individual, recorded a career-low score in round one (69) followed by posting a 77 in each of the final two rounds. Chan joined Smith in tying the fourth-lowest single round score in program history with her forementioned first-round 69.
Worden posted her lowest score of the tournament with a 3-over par 73 in the invitational's second round, bookended by a 74 in round one and a 76 in Sunday's final round. All three of the junior's scores bested her previous career-low mark of 77.
Stephanie Lee (So., Southlake, Texas) tied the lowest score of her career in the second round with a 3-over par 73 after shooting a 4-over par 74 in round one. Lee secured a ninth-place finish with an 8-over par 78 on Sunday.
Rounding out the participants in the tournament for Navy was the freshman pairing of
Jenna Han (Potomac, N.J.) and
Hannah Han-Kim (Mahwah, N.J.) who finished tied for 23rd and tied for 35th, respectively.
In her first collegiate action, Han posted a low score of 78 in Saturday's second round in between an 83 in round one and a final round 79. With her 79 in Sunday's final round, Han rose nine spots in the individual standings with a total score of 30-over par 240.
Competing as an individual, Han-Kim posted a 36-over par 246 including a 10-over par 80 in the third round to rise six spots in the individual ranks.
UP NEXT
Following the Navy Invitational, the Midshipmen will be back in action Oct. 15-16 as they travel to take part in the Delaware Invitational. Additionally, Smith will be taking part in the Jackson T. Stephens Cup (Oct. 16-17) hosted in Roland, Arkansas.
