Women’s Golf Claims Wolfpack Match Play Championship

RALEIGH – The fourth-seeded Duke women’s golf team closed the Wolfpack Match Play Invitational on Tuesday by defeating sixth-seeded North Carolina, 3-1-1, and capturing the championship at the Lonnie Poole Golf Course in Raleigh, N.C.

The Blue Devils totaled wins against fifth-seeded NC State (3-2), top-seeded South Carolina (3-2) and North Carolina (3-1-1) to register their first tournament win of the 2022-23 campaign.  It also marked Duke head coach Dan Brooks‘ 141st career victory with the Blue Devils, which continues to lead all NCAA Division I head coaches.  

Blue Devil senior Megan Furtney capped the two days of play with a perfect, 3-0, record in match play.

How It Happened – Duke Defeated UNC, 3-1-1 (Championship)

•    Entering the championship match with an impressive 2-0 record from Monday’s action, Duke senior Megan Furtney faced Megan Streicher, who also had posted a 2-0 record the day before.  Furtney parred the first hole to take a 1UP lead and wouldn’t let the lead go the rest of the way. She led 4UP through four holes, after draining a 6-foot birdie on No. 3 and 40-foot birdie putt on No. 4.  Furtney lipped out for eagle on No. 11 and then had a key up-and-down from the fairway on No. 13 to maintain her lead.  She closed the match on No. 14 with a 5&4 win.  

•    Senior Erica Shepherd took control of her match against Kayla Smith on No. 6 as she sank a 4-footer for birdie to win the hole and collected an up-and-down birdie on the par-5 seventh to go 2UP.  Shepherd added a 15-footer for birdie on No. 9 and then won holes 12, 13 and 14 to close the match with a 5&4 win.  

•    Duke freshman Andie Smith was able to clinch the Duke victory with a 5&4 win over Riley Quarternain.  Smith fell behind early as she dropped the third hole, but parred No. 5 to tie the match.  With an up-and-down birdie on No. 7, Smith took her first lead of the day.  The win on No. 7 was the first of four straight holes won to take a 4UP lead.  Smith rolled in a 25-footer for birdie on No. 8 and had a tremendous up-and-down par on No. 10 to avoid dropping any holes. She closed the match with a par on No. 14.  

•    After the match was clinched, Anne Chen birdied the 18th hole by sinking a 25-foot putt to tie the match against Crista Izuzquiza. Chen was solid all day by shooting a 70…