Goh Earns Medalist Honors, CMU Women Win Invitational

Tuesday, October 4

Ypsilanti, Mich. (Eagle Crest Golf Course)

9 a.m.

Central Michigan University

Shirley Spork EMU Invitational

Photo by: Steve King

10/4/2022 5:05:00 PM | Women's Golf

By: Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com

YPSILANTI, Mich. – Ashley Goh shot a final-round 77 on Tuesday to earn medalist honors and lead Central Michigan to victory at the Shirley Spork EMU Invitational at Eagle Crest Golf Club.

Goh, who opened the 54-hole tournament with a program-record tying 69, finished at 2-over 218 to win by five shots. It was the first collegiate tournament victory for the junior from Malaysia.

"Ash played so well all week," said first-year CMU coach Ryan Williams, who guided his team to the win in just his third tournament in charge of the program. "I was extremely impressed with the way she played the golf course. I rarely saw her out of position. She just kind of picked it apart, shot by shot."

Goh tied for the tournament lead with 10 birdies and her first-round 69 included an eagle. She made two birdies against seven bogeys in Tuesday's final round.

"Today's performance was maybe even more impressive than (Monday's)," Williams said. "Today she had all the pressure, and she knew what she was playing for, and she went out and got it done. Today wasn't easy. There were a lot of tough pins out there and it's not easy playing with a lead and she handled it really, really well."

The Chippewas shot a 305 team score to finish at 902, 20 shots ahead of host Eastern Michigan and Oakland, who tied for second at 922. The 10-team field included six Mid-American Conference schools.

The victory was made all the sweeter after CMU finished second, by two shots, in the tournament a year ago. The Chippewa lineup this week was exactly the same as it was in 2021.

"The team talked about how they lost by two shots here last year, that they played really well, and it was disappointing to come up one shot short," Williams said. "They have been working extremely hard the last few weeks and we have high expectations for ourselves and sometimes it's hard to kind of break through.

"This one feels really nice. We played solid from start to finish; it's really good to see that, three solid rounds."

Goh became the first CMU player to win a tournament since Casilda Allendesalazar captured the Toledo Rocket Classic in October, 2021. That was also the last time the Chippewas won a tournament.

"It's exciting to see the team have successes and figure out how good they can be," Williams said. "As a group they did that collectively and makes me excited to see where we're at and where we're headed in the future as we continue to build from this."

Allendesalazar bounced back from an opening-round 80 to post a 2-under 70 in Monday's second round. Her 70 rocketed her 25 spots up the leaderboard into the top 10 heading into Tuesday's final round, during which she carded a 2-over 74 to finish in fifth place with a 225 total.

"I think what Cas did between yesterday and today was really awesome," Williams said. "She was struggling in round one and was frustrated, clearly. She put it behind her and just started playing the golf that she knows how to play. Really good to see that from her."

CMU's Padgett Chitty tied for seventh after her final-round 78 gave her a 227 total.

Two Chippewas, Claudia Salvador and Rachel Kauflin, finished among a group tied for 13^th at 232. Salvador closed with a 76, while Kauflin, playing as an individual, carded an 81.

CMU's Zoe Vartyan, also playing as an individual, tied for 32^nd at 237 after a final-round 81, and Mackenzie Baustad carded a 78 to finish tied for 45^th at 245. CMU's Ashley Liles posted an 85 in Tuesday's final round to finish at 258.

The Chippewas head to Catawba Island Golf Club in Port Clinton, Ohio, next weekend to defend their title at the Toledo Rocket Classic.