Golfers Capture A-Ga-Ming Invitational

Monday, September 6

Kewadin, Mich.

9 a.m.

Central Michigan University

A-Ga-Ming Invitational

Coach Jim Earle (left) and his players pose with the championship plaque on Monday after winning the A-Ga-Ming Invitational in Kewadin.

Photo by: Andy Sneddon

9/6/2021 6:24:00 PM | Women's Golf

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Goh's 73, Salvador's 76 lead charge in final round

By: Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com

KEWADIN, Mich. – Ashley Goh shot a 1-over-par 73 on Monday as the Central Michigan women's golf team captured the season-opening A-Ga-Ming Invitational at A-Ga-Ming Golf Resort.

The Chippewas shot a 303 team score, their best round of the 54-hole event, on Monday for a 914 total. They topped runner-up Oakland, which closed with a 305, by three shots. Purdue Fort Wayne finished third with 940.

"We feel really good," fourth-year CMU coach Jim Earle said. "We beat two good teams and to come out on top is very satisfying; a great way to start the year."

It was the Chippewas' fourth tournament title since fall, 2019. They won the Oakland Golden Grizzlies Invitational in September, 2019, and then captured two match-play events in spring, 2021.

"It's only going up from here," said Earle, whose eight-player roster comprises entirely underclassmen. "We've got a freshman (Casilda Allendesalazar) on the team that is one of the most talented golfers I've seen in my life; she's only going to get better. The team's only going to get better."

Oakland's Veronica Haque posted a final-round 70 to finish with a 3-over 219 total to capture medalist honors.

CMU's Rachel Kauflin finished second with a 12-over 228, Allendesalazar finished with a 14-over 230 to tie for fourth, Claudia Salvador posted a 15-over 231 to finish sixth, and Goh tied for seventh with a 16-over 232.

The Chippewas' Zoe Vartyan, playing as an individual, finished third at 13-over 229 and teammate Mackenzie Baustad, who also played as an individual, was 10^th with an 18-over 234.

CMU's Padgett Chitty finished 11^th at 19-over 235.

In all, seven of the top 11 spots in the field were claimed by Chippewas, a fact that reinforces Earle's strong contention that CMU is not only talented, but deep.

"I could go on and on about all the student-athletes," he said. "Any lineup that we put out, we're going to be a good team."

Goh's 73 came after she shot 80-79 during the first two rounds of the tournament on Sunday. Salvador's 76 was also her lowest round of her three on the weekend.

Salvador, a native of Spain, opted out of the entire 2020-21 season because of COVID, and Goh did not play golf throughout the summer because of a COVID lockdown in her native Malaysia.

"Claudia's real close to going low for sure and Ashley Goh, coming off not playing golf one time over the summer, to come in with a 73 on the final round," Earle said. "That was huge."

Kauflin played in the final group on Monday after her second-round 72 – her career best – in Sunday's second round left her two shots off the pace. On Monday, she made two double bogeys on the front nine and stood at 6-over through 14 holes.

She birdied two of her final five holes to steer it home and keep the Chippewas in the lead.

"It takes a team," Earle said. "Rachel, you never can count her out. She's a bulldog when it counts the most. She came in with a great back 9 that enabled us to sneak away. She made some key putts down the stretch."

The tournament was contested on A-Ga-Ming's pristine Sundance Course. Earle said he hopes to make the tourney an annual event at the course, which is situated between Lake Michigan and Torch Lake.

"A-Ga-Ming's awesome," he said. "We want to build this and foster this relationship between Central Michigan and A-Ga-Ming and hopefully build this tournament into something to start the year off from here on out."