Central Michigan University Athletics
Saturday, April 24
Silver Lake, Ohio/Silver Lake Country Club
8:30 a.m.
Central Michigan University
at
MAC Championship
Freshman Ashley Goh set three CMU program records at the Mid-American Conference Championship.
Photo by: Andy Sneddon
Goh, Kauflin Shine In Final Round Of MAC Championship
4/24/2021 4:19:00 PM | Women's Golf
SILVER LAKE, Ohio – All things considered, it wasn't a bad way to close it out for the Central Michigan golf team.
The Chippewas shot a respectable 312 on Saturday in the third and final round of the Mid-American Conference Championship at Silver Lake Country Club to finish with a 988 total and in 10th place.
Saturday's 312 was CMU's best round of the tournament by 18 strokes. The Chippewas competed in the tournament with just four student-athletes (five is the norm) and without several front-line players.
Still, a pair of CMU freshman shined and they, along with several others who are expected to return in the fall, give head coach Jim Earle plenty of reasons for optimism.
"The future is definitely bright," said Earle, who is in his third year in charge of the program. "We're just coming off the MAC Championship and I think we realize that we're going to be one heck of a golf team next year and we're already looking forward to the fall of 2021.
"We're going to be deep, we're going to be experienced, and we're going to be really talented. We can't wait for September to roll around and see what we can do at full strength."
CMU's Ashley Goh shot 73 in Saturday's final round to finish in 14th place with a 233 total; fellow freshman Rachel Kauflin carded a 77 on Saturday to finish 15th at 234. The field comprised 49 players.
Goh's 73 is the best 18-hole score for a Chippewa in the MAC Championship; her 233 is the best 54-hole total for a CMU player in the event; and her 14th-place finish is the best ever for a Chippewa in the league tourney. Kauflin's 234 and her 15th-place finish rank as the second best in program history.
The previous best finish was a tie for 24th by Kristen Wolf in 2018; the best 54-hole total was Jami Laude's 235 in 2019; and the previous 18-hole MAC Championship record for a Chippewa was a 75 by Natalie Johnson in 2016.
"I was really proud of their performances," Earle said. "They're both a big part of the future of this program."
Goh was steady all day on the 6,277-yard Silver Lake layout. She carded one birdie and two bogeys along with 15 pars. She finished the tournament with 38 pars, tied for the second most in the field.
"I spent a lot of time today with Ashley Goh and she played as well as I've seen her play," Earle said. "It was a really difficult golf course and 73 was about the highest she was going shoot with the way she struck the golf ball. It was a good way for her to end her shortened and crazy freshman season."
Kauflin made a team-high four birdies in the tournament.
"Rachel has just been impressive from day 1," Earle said. "She's a bulldog out there and there's just never any give-up with her. This has got to be the longest course that she has ever competed on and she played really well.
"Rachel Kauflin belongs in a Division I program, and she's proved herself all year. We're ecstatic for her and we're really looking forward to her future. She can flat out play some golf."
It was the final collegiate event for CMU senior Meghan Deardorff, a steadying force throughout her Chippewa career. Deardorff shot 77 on Saturday to finish at 244 and among a group tied for 34th.
"Meghan's had a great career, she really has," Earle said. "She came in as someone who had just picked up golf in her sophomore year of high school and through her work ethic and what she put into the game of golf, she ends her career as a team leader.
"She's had a heck of a career and she's one heck of a player as well. It was a pleasure to be her coach for three years. She is a great teammate, she is a role model, she is a great student; she checks every box that a coach wants. She should feel very satisfied with what she's accomplished in collegiate golf because it was pretty impressive."
CMU junior Julia Bice closed with an 85 and finished at 277. It was a solid round for Bice, who struggled to a 103 in Saturday's second round after an opening-round 89.
"That was a really nice bounce-back performance after a rough first day," Earle said. "Julia has never started before and to be put in that type of position is a big pressure spot knowing that your score is going to count. It's a tough situation to be in, but she bounced back today."
Kent State shot 296 on Saturday to finish with an 878 team total for a 36-shot victory over runner-up Northern Illinois. It was the 22nd-consecutive MAC title for the Golden Flashes, who are ranked 13th nationally.
Kent State's Caley McGinty was the tournament medalist, closing with a 2-under 70 for a 212 total and a five-shot victory over teammate Emily Price.
The Chippewas shot a respectable 312 on Saturday in the third and final round of the Mid-American Conference Championship at Silver Lake Country Club to finish with a 988 total and in 10th place.
Saturday's 312 was CMU's best round of the tournament by 18 strokes. The Chippewas competed in the tournament with just four student-athletes (five is the norm) and without several front-line players.
Still, a pair of CMU freshman shined and they, along with several others who are expected to return in the fall, give head coach Jim Earle plenty of reasons for optimism.
"The future is definitely bright," said Earle, who is in his third year in charge of the program. "We're just coming off the MAC Championship and I think we realize that we're going to be one heck of a golf team next year and we're already looking forward to the fall of 2021.
"We're going to be deep, we're going to be experienced, and we're going to be really talented. We can't wait for September to roll around and see what we can do at full strength."
CMU's Ashley Goh shot 73 in Saturday's final round to finish in 14th place with a 233 total; fellow freshman Rachel Kauflin carded a 77 on Saturday to finish 15th at 234. The field comprised 49 players.
Goh's 73 is the best 18-hole score for a Chippewa in the MAC Championship; her 233 is the best 54-hole total for a CMU player in the event; and her 14th-place finish is the best ever for a Chippewa in the league tourney. Kauflin's 234 and her 15th-place finish rank as the second best in program history.
The previous best finish was a tie for 24th by Kristen Wolf in 2018; the best 54-hole total was Jami Laude's 235 in 2019; and the previous 18-hole MAC Championship record for a Chippewa was a 75 by Natalie Johnson in 2016.
"I was really proud of their performances," Earle said. "They're both a big part of the future of this program."
Goh was steady all day on the 6,277-yard Silver Lake layout. She carded one birdie and two bogeys along with 15 pars. She finished the tournament with 38 pars, tied for the second most in the field.
"I spent a lot of time today with Ashley Goh and she played as well as I've seen her play," Earle said. "It was a really difficult golf course and 73 was about the highest she was going shoot with the way she struck the golf ball. It was a good way for her to end her shortened and crazy freshman season."
Kauflin made a team-high four birdies in the tournament.
"Rachel has just been impressive from day 1," Earle said. "She's a bulldog out there and there's just never any give-up with her. This has got to be the longest course that she has ever competed on and she played really well.
"Rachel Kauflin belongs in a Division I program, and she's proved herself all year. We're ecstatic for her and we're really looking forward to her future. She can flat out play some golf."
It was the final collegiate event for CMU senior Meghan Deardorff, a steadying force throughout her Chippewa career. Deardorff shot 77 on Saturday to finish at 244 and among a group tied for 34th.
"Meghan's had a great career, she really has," Earle said. "She came in as someone who had just picked up golf in her sophomore year of high school and through her work ethic and what she put into the game of golf, she ends her career as a team leader.
"She's had a heck of a career and she's one heck of a player as well. It was a pleasure to be her coach for three years. She is a great teammate, she is a role model, she is a great student; she checks every box that a coach wants. She should feel very satisfied with what she's accomplished in collegiate golf because it was pretty impressive."
CMU junior Julia Bice closed with an 85 and finished at 277. It was a solid round for Bice, who struggled to a 103 in Saturday's second round after an opening-round 89.
"That was a really nice bounce-back performance after a rough first day," Earle said. "Julia has never started before and to be put in that type of position is a big pressure spot knowing that your score is going to count. It's a tough situation to be in, but she bounced back today."
Kent State shot 296 on Saturday to finish with an 878 team total for a 36-shot victory over runner-up Northern Illinois. It was the 22nd-consecutive MAC title for the Golden Flashes, who are ranked 13th nationally.
Kent State's Caley McGinty was the tournament medalist, closing with a 2-under 70 for a 212 total and a five-shot victory over teammate Emily Price.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
Day 2 MAC Championship
Thursday, April 24
Women's Golf Insider - 4/17/24
Wednesday, April 17
Sights and Sounds of Women's Golf's A-Ga-Ming Invitational
Wednesday, September 06
Women's Golf MAC Championship Recap
Tuesday, April 25