Chen Fires 69 to Close Windy City Collegiate Classic

HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. – Duke women’s golf junior Anne Chen turned in her fifth career round in the 60s to close the Windy City Collegiate Classic on Tuesday at the 6,442-yard, par-72 Exmoor Country Club in Highland Park, Ill.

Chen, who hails from Sugar Land, Texas, carded four birdies in the final round to shoot a 3-under, 69, en route to placing tied for fourth with a 2-over-par, 218, over 54 holes.  As a team, the Blue Devils finished tied for fourth with rounds of 300, 297 and 294 for an 891.  Southern California (867) claimed the team title, while South Carolina (876), Oregon (881), Duke (891) and Arizona State (891) rounded out the top five.

How It Happened

•    Duke opened action on hole No. 10 for the second straight day.  

•    After parring her first three holes, Anne Chen suffered her lone bogey of the day on No. 13.  She would then go on to play her final 14 holes at 4-under-par.  Chen got things rolling on No. 14 as she hit her 8-iron from 132 yards to seven feet for birdie.  She then hit her 5-iron from 170 yards to eight feet for her second birdie and hit her 60-degree wedge from 60 yards to nine feet for another birdie.  After six pars, she closed by sticking her 7-iron from 132 yards on the 153-yard, par-3 eighth hole to three feet for her fourth birdie.

•    Over the first nine holes of the final round, junior Phoebe Brinker was 3-over-par, but closed with a solid back nine at even-par, 36.  She rolled in three birdies on the day on No. 15, No. 2 and No. 4.  Brinker went on to finish tied for 31st with a 225.  

•    Senior Erica Shepherd closed the event with a 2-over, 74, on her way to finishing tied for 35th with a 226.  In the final round, she parred the first seven holes, before suffering a bogey on No. 17, after missing the fairway.  Shepherd bogeyed No. 1 to drop to 2-over, but came back on No. 6 by sticking her approach to three feet and draining the birdie.  She missed the fairway on No. 7 and had a bogey, but parred the final two holes.  

•    In the final round, sophomore Rylie Heflin signed for a 76 as she was held without a birdie.  After starting three-over-par over her first five holes, Heflin played her final 13 holes at 1-over-par with 12 pars and one bogey, which included a 25-foot putt for par on No. 9.  She closed the week tied…