Duke captures the Women's East Lake Cup
11/2/2016 | by Sam Dostaler of AmateurGolf.com
see also: View results for Women's East Lake Cup, Atlanta Athletic Club - Highlands Course
Duke championship victories went to Lisa Maguire, Virginia Elena Carta and Sandy Choi
ATLANTA, GA (November 2, 2016) -- It wasn't always an easy fall for Duke but they certainly ended it on a high note by capturing the Women's East Lake Cup. Squaring off against defending national champion Washington in the finals, Duke handled their business on a sunny Wednesday at East Lake Golf Club by a final tally of 3.5-1.5.
"I couldn't be more proud of this team for showing up here at the end of the fall," Duke head coach Dan Brooks told Golf Channel of his first 2016-2017 win. "We have had a bit of an off fall but we have some little things but to come out at the end of the fall playing like this, I couldn't be more proud."
Duke, the three-seed, was in control for much of the afternoon and they received wins from junior Lisa Maguire, sophomore Virginia Elena Carta and senior Sandy Choi.
Lisa Maguire bested Washington freshman Eunwon Park and posted the first point for Duke thanks to a match winning par on the 18th hole.
Possibility the most satisfying win of the day for Duke, who beat UCLA in the semifinals, came from sophomore and defending national individual champion Virginia Elena Carta. Throughout the fall Elena Carta struggled with expectations and also tonsillitis but she will go into the spring full of momentum following a 7&6 victory over freshman Ellen Takada.
"It was really hard at the beginning of the year with a lot of expectations coming from not just me but everyone. I had a tough fall because I got sick and I have been sick until now," said Elena Carta. "But it has been really great because I am super excited about the work we have done with the team and we have gotten really close. I think this is going to give us a lot of momentum heading into the spring."
The lone Washington point came from sophomore Wenyung Keh while the Leona Maguire (Jr) and Julianne Alvarez (So) match finished all-square.
"I think really having the experience of match play and giving these young players the opportunity to be here and experience it with the TV and all that and realize that we can play and to take down Stanford was a great, great feat for us." Washington head coach Mary Lou Mulflur said. "Then we gave Duke as much as we could give them today."
Washington made a surprise run to the championship match after they defeated Stanford in the semifinals on Tuesday. The Huskies were the four-seed after finishing 34-strokes behind Stanford during Monday's stroke-play qualifying round.
In the consolation match top-seed Stanford defeated two-seed UCLA 3-2
About the Women's East Lake Cup
Started in 2015 and hosted by the historic East Lake Golf Club Atlanta, this collegiate, two-day match play competition features the top-performing teams from the previous year's NCAA Women's Golf Championships.
Most Popular Articles
2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Guide: Sites, Scores, and Who Advanced
Dec 5, 2025Second Stage is complete and Final Stage awaits at Sawgrass — follow every Q-School leaderboard and the players still chasing
2025 LPGA TOUR Q-Series: Final Qualifying Stage FINAL SCORING
Dec 8, 2025Helen Briem earns medalist honors, 31 players headed to the LPGA next year
2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Final Stage: Ewart Leads Five New TOUR Card Winners
Dec 14, 2025A.J. Ewart topped Final Stage at TPC Sawgrass, leading five players who secured PGA TOUR membership for 2026.
Australian Open at Royal Melbourne: Preview, amateur bios, and how to watch
Nov 30, 2025Rory McIlroy headlines one of the championship's top fields in years - at least four amateurs will have their chance at glory
Inside Gil Hanse’s Restoration of Baltusrol’s Upper Course: A Return to Tillinghast’s
Dec 11, 2025Renowned architect Gil Hanse reveals how he brought Baltusrol’s Upper Course back to life by honoring A.W. Tillinghast’s original