Cai Shares Individual Title, Wildcats Take Second At Darius Rucker Intercollegiate

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (March 7, 2024) – Led by a first career individual win from Jennifer Cai, the Northwestern University women's golf team took home a runner-up finish at the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate earlier this week at Hilton Head Island, S.C.
 
The 'Cats closed the 54-hole event at the par-71, 6,369-yard Long Cove Club with a team score of 856 (281-282-293), finishing just a stroke back of Arizona State (278-286-291=855) in the race for the team championship.  Northwestern edged Auburn (284-282-291=857) by a stroke for second place as part of a tightly contested pack that saw the top five spots in the final standings separated by just four shots.
 
Cai put together her top 54-hole performance of the season to lead the 'Cats in the Lowcountry.  Following an opening-round even-par 71, the Irvine, Calif. native rocketed up the leaderboard in Tuesday's second round, piling up five birdies as part of a season-low three-under-par 68.  Cai was just as impressive in the event's final round, posting a two-under-par 69 that was capped off by a long putt on the par-four, 18^th hole to secure a share of individual medalist honors with a five-under-par 208 (71-68-69).


 
Jieni Li paced Northwestern in Monday's first round, playing the front nine at three-under-par en route to a two-under-par 69.  Li ultimately earned her third top-25 finish of 2023-24, closing play with a two-over-par 215 (69-72-74) to tie for 19^th place.  Dianna Lee checked in two strokes back, sharing 33^rd with a four-over-par 217 (70-71-76) that featured a first-round one-under-par 70.
 
Lauryn Nguyen tallied her 13^th round at par or better on Monday, handing in an even-par 71 as part of a 221 (71-76-74) to tie for 54^th.  Ashley Yun, who finished tied for 60^th with a 222 (75-71-76), impressed on Tuesday, carding an even-par 71 as she finished at par or better on 16 of her 18 holes.
 
Jiayi Wang saw action as an individual at the event, tying for 77^th at 232 (77-78-77).
 
WILDCAT LINEUP (2^nd; 281-282-293=856)
T-1^st – Jennifer Cai (71-68-69=208)
T-19^th – Jieni Li (69-72-74=215)
T-33^rd – Dianna Lee (70-71-76=217)
T-54^th – Lauryn Nguyen (71-76-74=221)
T-60^th – Ashley Yun (75-71-76=222)
T-77^th – Jiayi Wang (77-78-77=232) *
 
* Competed as an individual
 
UP NEXT
Northwestern is back in action at the end of the month when it visits Phoenix, Ariz. for the PING/ASU Invitational, March 28-30.