Final Results

NORMAL, Ill. – Eastern Kentucky University's women's golf team started the season by winning the Redbird Invitational and Madisonville, Kentucky native Karra Tucker won her first collegiate golf tournament on Monday.
 
The Colonels overcame a 5-shot deficit heading into Monday's final round.  EKU carded an even-par round of 288 to finish with a 3-round total of 879 (+15).  The team tied the University of South Dakota at the top of the leaderboard with three holes to play. 
 
EKU was one shot better over those final three.  South Dakota finished second with a total of 880 (+16).  It was the first team title for the program since winning the Colonel Classic during the 2021-22 season.

"I'm so happy for this team and our program to start the season off with a team and an individual win," head coach Mandy Moore said.  "Karra had been working so hard and she played very steady this week and really deserves this win.  The team really hung in there the last two rounds.  I loved seeing the grit that they have and how they kept fighting for pars and birdies.  We had a few clutch ones coming down the stretch.  It was fun watching them pull for each other and work toward the same goal."
 
Tucker started the final round on Monday tied for second with a 36-hole total of even-par 144.  The sophomore rebounded from a bogey on her third hole of the day to card a birdie on the par-3 No. 7 hole and an eagle on the par-4 No. 8 hole.  She had two more birdies on the next five holes to reach 4-under for the round.  Tucker finished the final round with seven pars over the final eight holes.

"I couldn't be more excited to start the season off with my first individual win, and I am even more excited for us to bring home a win as a team," said Tucker.  "I'm anticipating a big year for myself and this awesome group of teammates that I have.  I'm unbelievably blessed to play for coach Moore and coach (Evan) Cox, and I know they're excited to see what the year brings."
 
It was the first individual title for an EKU golfer since Raga Kristinsdottir won the Colonel Classic during the 2021-22 season.  Tucker's 3-round total of 213 was three shots under par and three shots in front of second place Catie Nekola from the University of South Dakota.
 
Lexington native Mary Keene Marrs helped EKU move to the top with a final round 1-under 71.  She tied for 17th with a total of 225.  Imogen Jessen carded a final round 1-over 73 and tied for seventh with a total of 221.
 
Newcomer Lanie Campbell (220) tied for fifth overall.  She began play with rounds of 72 and 73 on Sunday before concluding with a 75 on Monday.
 
Butler (897) was a distant third place.  Bowling Green (899) was fourth and Northern Illinois (901) rounded out the top-5 of the 16-team field.
 
Maddi-Jo Benton (240) tied for 64th.  Playing as an individual, Elizabeth Tucci (231) tied for 34th.
 
The 2-day, 54-hole event was contested on the par-72, 6,093-yard course at Weibring Golf Club.
 
1.  Eastern Kentucky University             299-292-288 – 879
1. Karra Tucker                                               74-70-69 – 213
T5. Lanie Campbell                                        72-73-75 – 220
T7. Imogen Jessen                                         76-72-73 – 221
T17. Mary Keene Marrs                                  77-77-71 – 225
T64. Maddi-Jo Benton                                     80-83-77 – 240
 
Playing As An Individual
T34. Elizabeth Tucci                                        77-78-76 – 231