DELAND, Fla. – Junior
Riley Hamilton (E) led the FIU women's golf team to its first tournament win since 2019 at the Babs Steffens Invitational on Tuesday afternoon, as Hamilton won low medalist honors for the first time in her career while
Karissa Kilby finished runner-up for a 1-2 finish to secure the victory.
The win marks FIU's first since winning the Jupiter Women's Invitational on Oct. 15, 2019, while Hamilton also serves as the Panthers' first individual medalist since Agueda Cortilla at the event.
The Panthers recorded a 4-under-par 284 in Tuesday's final round, marking their lowest round since 2014, to edge Kennesaw State (+32) by 13 strokes for first place.
FIU (+19) finished with a total score of 883, collecting wins over 12 schools in Kennesaw State, Cincinnati, Seminole State, Austin Peay, Jacksonville, Stetson, Bowling Green, Embry-Riddle, Drake, South Dakota State, Bellarmine and Bethune-Cookman.
Hamilton, a Reidville, N.C., native, added five birdies in Tuesday's final round to finish strong with a 1-under 71, setting a new 54-hole career low with a final score of 216.
Additionally, Hamilton led the team and 79-player field in birdies (10) and par-5 scoring (-4), while holding the tournament low (and new career low) round of 67 in Monday's second round.
Sophomore
Karissa Kilby added her second career runner-up finish, rattling off four of her seven birdies for the tournament to card a 4-under 68 on Tuesday and finish with a final score of 218 – vaulting her eight spots into second place. Kilby parred 37 of 54 holes over the two-day span, while leading the field in par-3 scoring (-2).
Freshman
Casey Yu (+8) rounds out the Panthers in the top 10, finishing tied for 10
th after a final round 74 for a new 54-hole low of 224. Classmate
Kelly Shanahan (+10) notched her first top-20 finish of her career, finishing tied for 12
th, upon a new 54-hole low of 226 - highlighted by a career low round of 72 on Tuesday. Additionally, Shanahan led the team in pars (38).
Sophomore
Arlynn Spence (+15) rounds out the lineup tied for 24
th with a total score of 231, while
Jenna Chun (+16) finished tied for 27
th as an individual with a final score of 232.
FIU led the 13-team field in birdies (32) while finishing second amongst the field in pars as a team (178).
UP NEXT
FIU prepares for the 2023 Conference USA Championship on April 13-15 in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
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