Women’s Golf Eyeing Strong Finish Against A Loaded Field at the Cougar Classic

HANAHAN, S.C. – The Penn State women’s golf team will travel to the 17th annual Cougar Invitational hosted by the College of Charleston at Yeamans Hall Club this weekend looking to build off the early season success established at their home invitational one week ago.

Penn State had consistency in its game last weekend at the Nittany Lion Invitational using three-straight rounds of red figures to run away from the field for a 12-stroke victory. The Nittany Lions score of 13-under, 851, not only shattered the previous Nittany Lion Invitational team record, but it was also a 54-hole program record.

Penn State will take flight on Saturday and play its practice round on Sunday with the tournament beginning early Monday morning with a 36-hole day followed by a final 18 on Tuesday morning.

“We have another 36-hole day again, so we have to be ready for that challenge,” commented head coach Denise St. Pierre. “We need to manage our time and be patient, the team was so good at that aspect at our home tournament and I hope they can carry that into this week.”

B1G HONORS FOR DELAVALLADE

• Junior Mathilde Delavallade (Royan, France) carded three-consecutive rounds under-par, registering just four bogeys the entire weekend while adding 14 birdies to secure her first collegiate victory.
• The junior sandwiched a career-low round of 68 (4-under) during the second round between a pair of 69’s to finish the weekend at 10-under, 206, the second-lowest 54-hole total in program history.
• Delavallade was honored as the Big Ten Women’s Golfer of the Week for her incredible performance. The tournament victory marked her fourth career top-10 finish and her first since her freshman campaign in 2019-20.

HISTORIC OPENING WEEKEND

• Aside from the program record 13-under finish last weekend, Penn State saw many successes on the individual level as well, highlighted by Delavallade’s strong weekend.
• Senior Sarah Willis (Eaton, Ohio) posted a career-low 6-under, 66, during the second round of play to tie her personal best and set a new Penn State 18-hole record while finishing the tournament fifth with a 4-under, 212, score. It marked the second-lowest finish of her career and tied for the sixth-best 54-hole score in program history.
• Sophomore Victoria Tip-Aucha (Vienna, Va.) was the third Nittany Lion to register a top-10 finish in the…