SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Led by a steady performance from junior Sydney Deal, the Florida Gulf Coast University women’s golf team finished 10th of 14 teams on Sunday at the two-day, three-round Fighting Irish Classic hosted by Notre Dame.
FGCU wrapped up play with a 54-hole total of 52-over 904 at Warren Golf Course. The Eagles carded a final-round 25-over 309 to finish just one stroke behind ninth-place Furman (903). Purdue captured the tournament team title at 1-under 851.
“We’re going to learn from this week and keep building as we move forward this fall,” FGCU head coach Shannon Sykora told FGCU Athletics.
Deal paced the Eagles individually, tying for 18th place at 9-over 222 (69-75-78). Her opening-round 69 stood as FGCU’s low round of the tournament. Annie Yost fired the team’s best score of the final round with a 4-over 75, tying for 37th at 15-over 228 alongside teammate Sarah Hyten.
Rounding out the FGCU lineup, Gia Culler-Guerra tied for 51st at 19-over 232, fueled by a second-round 74 and a birdie on the par-3 14th in the final round. Charlene Lamb placed tied for 54th at 20-over 233, capping off her tournament with a birdie on the par-5 17th.
FGCU now prepares for the Route 66 Invitational Honoring Dale McNamara in Tulsa, Oklahoma, running from Monday, Oct. 19, through Tuesday, Oct. 20.
Ready for the Gridiron?
Before teeing it up at the Warren Golf Course for the Fighting Irish Classic, the FGCU women’s golf team made sure to take in some iconic South Bend sights.
Upon arriving on campus Friday, Sept. 25, the Eagles shared photos and videos on Instagram at the landmark Hesburgh Library before heading straight onto the turf inside legendary Notre Dame Stadium. The team posted a video lining up and throwing a touchdown pass on the field, captioned with a playful nod to their hosts: “And we’re ready if @ndfootball needs some extra players.”
The post drew instant reactions from the roster, including junior Sydney Deal jumping into the comments to joke, “FGCU has a football team now.” While the Eagles ultimately kept their focus on the links over the weekend, their trip to the hallowed turf made for an unforgettable start to the trip.
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