Jaguars' Yoko captures Valspar Augusta Invitational crown
By Chris Rickerson | Sports editor
Natalia Yoko, a senior on the Augusta University women’s golf team, won the individual title in the Valspar Augusta Invitational at Forest Hills Golf Club on Sunday, March 13.
Conditions were very tough in the opening one with wind gusts above 40 miles per hour, along with colder temperatures. Due to the conditions the tournament officials decided to only play a 36-hole tournament.
Yoko finished at the top of leaderboard with a score of even par in the 36-hole tournament. She finished day one with 2-over-par 74 and six shots off the lead. On Sunday, Yoko rallied with a 2-under-par 70 on the tough Forest Hills course to secure her first collegiate victory as a Jaguar.
“It’s crazy, I can’t believe it,” said Yoko at the Forest Hills clubhouse afterwards.
South Carolina’s Hannah Darling had the lead at 1-under-par with two holes left with Yoko in the clubhouse at even par. Darling would double bogey the long par-5 17th, giving Yoko the lead late. Darling just missed a birdie putt on No. 18 to force a playoff.
With other golfers still finishing their last few rounds, fighting for the lead, Yoko didn’t realize it was even a possibility that she was going to win the tournament.
“I didn’t know at all until I finished,” she said. “I didn’t know if I was going to win or second place or what until I finished.”
AU Coach Caroline Hegg said she was thrilled with Yoko’s performance in the win.
“I’m just really proud of Yoko,” Hegg said. “Yesterday was some of the toughest college golf conditions you could play in, and she hung in there and put together a great round at 2-over-par. Then, today, in better conditions, when you have an opportunity to score more easily, she made a great eagle on the ninth hole to go 2-under for the day and made a couple more good birdies and continued to play offense when the conditions allowed. It was a really great performance.”
The Jaguars finished fifth overall as a team at 29-over-par. South Carolina won the tournament at 14-over-par.
Nicole Page was the second lowest scorer for the Jaguars at 8-over-par, finishing tied for 25th. She shot a 3-over-par 75 in round one and finished off with a 5-over-par 77 in the final round.
AU freshman Chloe Holder finished tied for 46th, struggling in the tough conditions in round one with 10-over-par 82, but finished strong with a 2-over-par 74.
Napabhach Boon-In finished tied for 46thas well, shooting a 6-over-par 78 both days. Kennedy Carroll rounded out the Jaguars, finishing tied for 55thand shooting a 8-over-par 80 in round one and a 5-over par 77 in the final round.
Hegg commented on what the Jaguars need to do to get a team win.
“We need to eliminate mistakes; we need to eliminate unforced errors,” the AU coach said. “Our short games were not as sharp as they needed to be. We had some simple up-and-down opportunities that we didn’t take advantage of. I think we three-putted too much out here, especially being on our home course, the greens are tough, but we shouldn’t three-putt as much as we did on our home course.”
Augusta’s next tournament will be at Palmetto Golf Club in Aiken, S.C., on Tuesday, March 15.
Contact Chris Rickerson at crickerson@augusta.edu.
AU freshman Chloe Holder tees off during the Valspar Augusta Invitational. (photo by Madison Keel) At the top of the page, Jaguar senior Natalia Yoko celebrates her individual crown. (photo by Chris Rickerson)
AU’s Natalia Yoko during the trophy presentation for the Valspar Augusta Invitational collegiate golf tournament at Forest Hills clubhouse. (photo by Chris Rickerson)
