Kent State gets 5th season win at Ohio State; on to conference

A week ago, two Kent State players were competing among the world’s best at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. In their first start back with the team, they led the way to Kent State’s fifth tournament title of the season.

The Golden Flashes earned a one-shot victory at the Lady Buckeye Invitational, edging Michigan State in Big Ten country. Kent State, ranked No. 9 in the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings, closed out the regular season with their win at Ohio State University’s Scarlet Course in Columbus, Ohio. Now it’s on to defend their 21-year run at the MAC Championship.

Kent State put three players inside the top 10. Pimnipa Panthong, who finished T-17 at Augusta National, led the way for the Flashes with a T-4 finish at 3-over 219 (72-73-74). Karoline Stormo finished eighth at 5-over 221 for the tournament. Stormo fired a 3-over 75 for the final round.

Senior Michaela Finn, who also was invited to the ANWA but missed the 36-hole cut, finished one stroke behind Stormo and tied for ninth at 6-over 222. Finn shot her best round of the tournament in the final round, a 1-under 71.

The individual title went to a Division II player, Indianapolis’ Pilar Echevarria. She locked in the victory with rounds of 69-72-74, and at 1 under for the event, was the only player under par. Her team, the defending NCAA Division II champions, finished seventh.