The Ole Miss Women’s Golf team opened its season with the Cougar Classic in Charleston, S.C., on Sept. 11. As the tournament wrapped up on Tuesday, the Lady Rebels secured first place for the second consecutive year at the event, giving them an impressive win for their resumé.
Not only did Ole Miss come out on top among a field of very competitive opponents, they also shattered both team and tournament records in the process. The Lady Rebels finished with a three-round team score of 816 (-36), the lowest score ever recorded at the Cougar Classic; this also broke the Ole Miss record for lowest tournament total.
This whole tournament was a showcase for just how menacing this team can be, especially if they can maintain the standard they just set. Ole Miss ended the competition ranked first in par-5 scoring (-19) while simultaneously outranking everyone in birdies (64).
A win like this is certainly a team effort, but Ole Miss’ performance in Charleston cannot be fully explained without highlighting the transfer duo of Justine Fournand and Caitlyn Macnab. The two women made things look easy through three rounds of action. Their final scores came out to 203 (-10), and they tied for fifth place, which ultimately helped secure the season-opening title for the Rebels.
Inclement weather constantly disrupted the Cougar classic, but Fournand, the South Carolina transfer, did not let that bother her. She picked up in round two, pitching a birdie in four of her last six holes. At the end of her day, she finished with five birdies in the final round.
Fournand’s duo partner Macnab, from Johannesburg, South Africa, also contributed in a big way. She garnered a score of 66 (-5) in her second-round performance; she then went on to score 65 (-6) in her final-round curtain call.
On the topic of top finishers, Natacha Host Husted had a nice weekend of her own. She wrapped up her Cougar Classic bout in the top 10, finishing 3-under par (68) in each of her three rounds. The junior standout’s overall score came out to 204 (-9), which solidified her as lone golfer in the eighth spot on the individual leaderboard.
Andrea Lignell and Sophie Linder also showed out for the Lady Rebels. Lignell finished with an overall score of 209 (-4), which was good enough for a 20th-place tie. She also ranked second on the individual leaderboards in par-5 scoring (-6).
Linder, who competed in her first collegiate tournament, capped off her debut with a score of 212 (-1). Her second-round performance stood out the most, as she posted a score of 68 (-3) on her way to helping Ole Miss secure the Cougar Classic victory.
With the Cougar Classic over, Ole Miss looks toward a trip to Franklin, Tenn., for the annual Mason Rudolph Championship starting on Sept. 22 and running through Sept. 24. The tournament will take place at the Vanderbilt Legends Club.
