The Wilfrid Laurier University Women’s Golf Team Has Made History By Winning Its First Ever Ontario University Athletics Championship At Grey Silo Golf Club In Waterloo. The Team, Consisting Of Lauren Bevan, Kristi Godkin, Vanessa Lin, And Olivea Pope, Dominated The Field And Finished With An Overall Two-Round Score Of 450, 24 Over Par, In The Oct. 15 Championship. This Impressive Score Beat The University Of Toronto By 18 Strokes, Securing Their Victory.
Lauren Bevan, A Fourth-Year Business Student, Emerged As The Top Individual Golfer, Finishing The Two-Round Championship Three Over Par (145). She Displayed Exceptional Skill, Shooting A 74 In Round One And An Even-Par 71 In Round Two, Despite The Cold And Windy Weather Conditions. Bevan’S Outstanding Performance Earned Her The Title Of The Conference’S Individual Women’S Champion And The Judy McCrae Trophy.
Expressing Her Excitement, Bevan Said, “It Feels Really Good, Obviously It’s Bittersweet, Because It Is My Last Year. So I’m Leaving, But It Was A Great Way, Obviously, To End Off The Season. I Love My Team, The Girls Are Great.”
Despite Leading Her Team To Their First Ever OUA Championship And Winning An Individual Championship At The Same Time, Bevan Mentioned That This Marks The End Of Her Competitive Golf Career. She Expressed Her Love For Golf And The Social Aspect Of It, And Looks Forward To Playing Leisurely In The Future.
Kristi Godkin, Another Standout Player, Finished In Third Place At The Championship With A Total Score Of Eight Over Par (150). Godkin, A Third-Year Student At Laurier, Started Playing Golf During The Pandemic After Being Inspired By Her Parents Who Also Played The Sport. Her Journey From Focusing On Hockey To Excelling In Golf Is Truly Remarkable.
Vanessa Lin And First-Year Player Olivea Pope Also Made Significant Contributions To The Team’S Success, Finishing Tied For Ninth And Tied For 20th Place, Respectively.
The Team’S Head Coach, Jeff Colley, Attributed Their Success To The Experience Gained From Practicing At Grey Silo Golf Club. He Also Received Recognition For His Efforts, Being Named OUA Women’S Golf Coach Of The Year.
This Victory Marks The Tenth Year Of The Women’s Golf Program At Laurier, And The Team’S Exceptional Performance Throughout The Season, Including Wins At The Western Invitational, McMaster Invitational, And Guelph Invitational, Has Solidified Their Position As A Force To Be Reckoned With In University Golf.
Looking Ahead, Both The Men’s And Women’s Teams Have Qualified For The 2024 National Championships In British Columbia, With High Hopes Of Securing A Win. Coach Colley Is Determined To Achieve A Double Championship At The OUA And National Levels, Setting Ambitious Goals For The Upcoming Season.
The Success Of The Wilfrid Laurier Women’s Golf Team Has Not Gone Unnoticed, As They Have Made A Significant Impact In The Golfing Community. Their Victory Has Not Only Brought Pride To The University But Has Also Set A New Standard For Excellence In Women’s Golf. With Their Eyes Set On The National Championships, The Team Is Poised To Continue Their Winning Streak And Leave A Lasting Legacy In Canadian University Golf.