HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Henderson State successfully defended its Great American Conference Women’s Golf Championship title as the Reddies completed a wire-to-wire victory on Tuesday on the Park Course at Hot Springs Country Club. GAC Player of the Year Gracen Blount claimed a one-shot win in the individual competition.
FINAL ROUND LEADERBOARDS
Blount shot an even-par 72 to edge Arkansas Tech’s Jacqueline Klemm and become only the second Reddie to win the GAC medalist honor. Kendall Earp won in 2013. She became the fourth GAC Women’s Player of the Year to win at the GAC Championships joining Arkansas Tech’s Rebecka Surtevall, who won in both 2012 and 2014 and the Golden Suns’ Peerada Piddon, who claimed the two awards in 2018. The Reddies 39-shot win represented the second-widest margin in GAC Championship history, bettered only by Arkansas Tech’s 50-shot advantage in 2015.
All five Reddies finished inside the top 10. Allie Bianchi took third; Hannah Choi placed fourth; Daphney Tilton claimed sixth and Karen Lee tied for eighth. Bianchi shot a final round 1-over 73; Choi recorded a 4-over 76; Tilton posted a 6-over 78 and Lee registered a 3-over 75.
For the second-straight year, Harding finished in third. Brenda Sanchez moved up to fifth place to claim a spot on the All-Tournament Team. She eagled the first hole as part of a 1-over 73. Alicia Martinez finished in 10th.
Southwestern Oklahoma State recorded its best round of the tournament to finish in fourth. Megan Brown matched the low round of the day with an even-par 72. She closed her round with three consecutive birdies. She moved up nine spots to tie for eighth.
Arkansas-Monticello and Oklahoma Baptist tied for fifth. The Blossoms’ Gabriela Maldonado finished in sole possession of seventh place, the best ever finish for a Blossom. Oklahoma Baptist’s Lindyn Ross and Josie Patterson tied for 11th.
Southern Arkansas, Southern Nazarene and Northwestern Oklahoma State rounded out the team scoring.
The Reddies clinched the automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Central Regional. The NCAA will announce the full field on Monday, April 25. Hot Springs Country Club will serve as the venue for the Central Regional, set for Monday, May 2 through Wednesday, May 4.