Two years after failing to qualify for the NCAA Championship, the Blue Devils posted their best finish to a season since 2007.
Led by senior Lindy Duncan, Duke earned a runner-up finish in last week’s NCAA Championship in Athens, Ga. Only Southern California's record-setting performance bested the Blue Devils’ four-day total of two-over-par on the par-72 University of Georgia Golf Course. Duncan also finished second individually, going four-under on her last three holes of collegiate golf to end the tournament at four-under, six strokes behind Trojan freshman Annie Park.
“We had four good days,” head coach Dan Brooks said. “Very solid days to play right around even with a team that two years ago didn’t even get through regionals—I could not be more proud.”
Duke’s total of 1,154 is the lowest four-round total on a par-72 course in program history and one of the lowest national championship totals in history. But USC shattered both the single-day and tournament records for the NCAA Championship with a 12-under-par 276 on the second day and a total score of 1,133 , which beat the four-day record UCLA set at the 2004 NCAA Championship by 15 strokes.
“It really did get old, just not making up any ground.” Brooks said. “Hats off to USC, they were really, really good. They weren’t just good that one day, they were real solid through the whole tournament, so we just couldn’t make up any ground.”
Capping off one of the great careers in the history of Duke women’s golf, Duncan’s second-place finish came largely as a result of ball striking throughout the week. Only in the final stretch did Duncan’s putter begin to cooperate, helping her finish the tournament with two birdies and an eagle on her last three holes.
“That finish was the culmination of being very patient and very tough all week, and finally some putts went in and it was very good timing,” Duncan said. “To finish my career with an eagle—you can’t do any better than that really.”
Duncan ends her career with the second-most top-10 finishes in program history with 32, and now plans to pursue her LPGA tour card.
Freshman Celine Boutier finished tied for fourth with a one-under-par 287, her best finish of the season. Only two other Duke freshmen have ever placed higher in their first NCAA Championship.
Junior Laetitia Beck finished tied for 17th at five-over, senior Courtney Ellenbogen fell into a tie for 50th at 13-over after posting an 80 Friday, and junior Alejandra Cangrejo closed with a 72—her best round of the week—to finish at 14-over par and in a tie for 58th.
“Nothing held us back—I was very proud of this team,” Books said. “[USC] had its magical day and then we played top championship level golf, but we couldn’t make up the ground that was lost to that one incredible day.”
This year's result is the best since the Blue Devils last took home the national title in 2007. All but Boutier were part of the 2011 Duke squad that failed reach the NCAA Championship for the first time since 1997. Brooks said the runner-up finish in the tournament just two years later is largely due to changes in the mentality of his players.
“Their games have gotten better, and I think that’s because they have grown up,” Brooks said. “They have worked hard but they have also matured, and they have handled things very well.”
Duke loses Duncan, Ellenbogen and Stacey Kim, who was not in the postseason lineup, to graduation this offseason, but will welcome one of the nation’s top recruiting classes.
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