Falcons, Fahey Win Championships At The KZoo Classic

Tuesday, October 3

Portage, MI

All Day

Bowling Green State University

KZoo Classic

October 03, 2017 | Women's Golf

By: by James Nahikian, BGSU Athletic Communications

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Round 1 Statistics
Round 2 Statistics
Round 3 Statistics

PORTAGE, Mich. – The Bowling Green State University women's golf program claimed the team championship at the 2017 KZoo Classic, running away from the field, and winning by a total of 20 strokes by carding a season-low 915 (305, 296, 314, +51). Junior Erin Fahey earned her first-career win by defeating Eastern Michigan's Thelma Beck in a one-hole playoff.

"The conditions were tougher today, but we were able to push through to get the win," said head coach Stephanie Young. "I am extremely proud of our team and the way we competed. Our attitude and effort was outstanding.

"A huge congratulations to Erin Fahey on her first-career individual title! Erin is a tireless worker and prepares thoroughly. She showed incredible heart and poise down the stretch and through the playoff to get the win."

The Falcons entered the final round of play with a 17-stroke lead, and distanced themselves even further to secure their first team title since the 2016 Snowman Classic. The win was BGSU's first fall win since the 2015 Redbird Invitational. Bowling Green's 915 is its seventh-best 54-hole score in program history.

Fahey parred the par-four No. 10 to secure the win. The win was BGSU's first individual title since current teammate Madelynn Swank won the 2014 Jon P. Spiess Memorial. Fahey shot a season-low 224 (75, 71, 78, +8), which is the third best 54-hole score of her career.

Nichole Cox tied a career low with a 225 (74, 73, 78, +9) to finish tied for third, which is a career best. Swank, Julia Durkin, and Sammi Blackburn finished in the top 16.

TEAM LEADERBOARD
1. Bowling Green (305, 296, 314 – 915, +51)
2. Western Michigan (310, 311, 314 – 935, +71)
3. Central Michigan (307, 311, 319 – 937, +73)
4. Ohio University (315, 315, 321 – 951, +87)
5. Eastern Michigan (323, 314, 328 – 965, +101)
6. Wisconsin-Green Bay (324, 323, 324 – 971, +107)

BY THE NUMBERS
1: Erin Fahey (75, 71, 78 – 224, +8)
T3: Nichole Cox (74, 73, 78 – 225, +9)
T13: Madelynn Swank (84, 76, 78 – 238, +22)
T13: Julia Durkin (77, 81, 80 – 238, +22)
T16: Sammi Blackburn (79, 76, 86 – 241, +25)
T31: Sarah Kern (84, 86, 86 – 256, +40)

FALCON FACTS
* The individual championship for Erin Fahey is the first of her career.
* Fahey now has seven top-10 finishes, and four top-three finishes.
* Fahey's 224 for the tournament is the third best 54-hole score of her career. Fahey shot a career-low 221 at the Redbird Invitational to open the 2017-18 season, while shooting a 223 at the 2016 at the ORU/SFA Spring Break Invite.
* Nichole Cox tied her career low with a 225, which she set in the first tournament of the year at the Redbird Invitational.
* Cox's 74 and 73, which she carded in the first two rounds of the tournament, are the second and third best 18-hole scores of her young career.
* Since the first round of her career, Cox has since posted 11-consecutive rounds below 79.
* In the first appearance of her season, Madelynn Swank carded a 238 to finish tied for 13th.
* Swank's 238 is the second best 54-hole score of her career.
* Swank's tied for 13th-place finish is the second best finish of her career, and best finish since she won the 2014 Jon P. Spiess Memorial in her collegiate debut.
* Julia Durkin's 238 is the second best 54-hole score of her career.
* Durkin has posted the top two 54-hole scores of her career this season, as she scored a career-low 224 at the Cardinal Classic.
* By finishing tied for 13th place, Durkin posted the third best finish of her Falcon career.
* Sammi Blackburn scored a career-low 241, which topped her previous career low by a single stroke.
* Blackburn's tied for 16th-place finish is the best finish of her young career.
* Blackburn's round-two 76 is the best 18-hole score of her career.
* Sarah Kern competed as an individual for the Falcons, and finished tied for 31st.
* Kern took a step forward by carding a score that was five strokes lower than her mark at last week's Mary Fossum Invitational.
* Kern has competed in all four tournaments this season, and has now appeared in 12 tournaments across her career.

TEAM TIDBITS
* The win for BGSU was its first team championship since the 2016 Snowman Classic.
* The win for BGSU was its first fall team championship since the 2015 Redbird Invitational.
* BGSU's 915 is a season low, while also being the program's seventh best 54-hole mark.
* Bowling Green's round-two 296 was a season low, while also being tied for the sixth best 18-hole score in program history.
* BGSU carded a 601 through the first two rounds, which is the third best 36-hole score in program history.
* All five BGSU players in the starting lineup finished at least tied for the 16th.
* The Falcons led the field with 28 birdies across the 54 holes.
* The Falcons went a perfect 4-0-0 versus MAC competition, defeating Central Michigan, Western Michigan, Ohio, and Eastern Michigan.
* Bowling Green has now won a team championship in six-consecutive seasons, dating back to a pair of team titles across the 2012 season.
* In three of BGSU's four tournaments this season, the Falcons have posted a top-10 score in program history for 54 holes.

UP NEXT
* The Falcons head to Ypsilanti, Michigan over Oct. 9-10 to compete at the Shirley Spork EMU Invitational.
* The event is being hosted by Eastern Michigan University.