Blue Devils Open Action at Windy City Collegiate Classic

WILMETTE, Ill. – The Duke women’s golf team opened action Monday at the Windy City Collegiate Classic by playing 36 holes at the Westmoreland Country Club in Wilmete, Ill.  Blue Devil sophomore Katie Li carded a 1-under-par, 71, in round one and then freshman Anna Cañado Espinal fired a career-best even-par, 72, in the second round to pace the Blue Devils. 
 
Duke was one of nine teams to finish 36 holes with the remaining teams having to wrap up their second round early Tuesday morning due to darkness. 
 
How It Happened – Round One

• Duke opened both rounds on hole No. 10.
• Leading the charge for the Blue Devil in round one was sophomore Katie Li, who carded a 1-under-par, 71 and was sixth overall through 18 holes.
• Li had a slow start with three bogeys over her first four holes, while rolling in a birdie on the par-5 11th hole.She went on to play the next nine holes at 3-under-par with birdies on No. 15, No. 16 and No. 2 to get to 1-under.Li suffered bogeys on No. 5 and No. 7, but closed straight by draining birdies on No. 8 and No. 9 to finish with a 71.
• Junior Andie Smith had Duke’s best start to the morning as she sank a 7-foot birdie on her opening hole, No. 10, to kick off the day at 1-under.She then registered 10 consecutive pars, before dropping shots on No. 3, No. 5 and No. 6.Smith, who hails from Hobe Sound, Fla., connected on her second birdie of the day on the par-4 seventh, while parring the final two holes to finish with a 73.
• After moving to 4-over-par through 12 holes, freshman Carla De Troia closed with a flurry shooting 2-under over her final six holes to finish with a 2-over, 74.She rolled in back-to-back birdies on No. 7 and No. 8 to bring her score down to a 74.
• Rookie Anna Cañado Espinal opened the morning with a 4-over-par score through seven holes.  She turned it around to finish even par over her final 11 holes with birdies on No. 17 and No. 7.  Espinal signed for a 76 in round one. 
• After turning in a career-best finish at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate, senior Rylie Heflin finished with a 78 in round one.This included her third collegiate eagle and the first since her freshman campaign.

 
How It Happened – Round Two

• Espinal paced the Blue Devils in round two with a collegiate-best, even-par 72 to move herself into a tie for 21st overall on the…