The Valparaiso University women’s golf team kicked off the Golfweek Program Challenge at Caledonia G.C. in Myrtle Beach, S.C. on Sunday, finishing the day in a tie for 13th position.

How It Happened

• Three Crusaders tied for the team’s low round of the day. Freshman Kayla Krueger (Spring Lake, Mich./Spring Lake), sophomore Kylie Shoemake (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central) and junior Katie Willenbrink (Mishawaka, Ind./Penn) all posted rounds of 78, finishing the day in a tie for 41st position.
• Senior Angie Kim (Schaumburg, Ill./Fremd) recorded a first-round 82 on Sunday, while freshman Tiffany Curtis (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) rounded out the Valpo quintet with an opening-round 86.
• The Crusaders posted a team score of 316 in the opening round, tied with Elon for 13th place out of the 16 competing teams. Valpo is just eight shots back of eighth place after one round of the three-round event.

Inside the Round

• Playing her second career round, Krueger was five shots better than her opening round at the Chi-Town Classic. Shoemake also tied her career-best round, as the sophomore also shot a 78 last year as a freshman at the Horizon League Championship.
• Krueger recorded a team-best three birdies over the par-71 circuit, while Shoemake and Willenbrink registered multiple birdies as well.
• Two of Krueger’s three birdies came on par-5s on Sunday, as she finished the day tied for the tournament lead for scoring average of par-5 holes at 4.50.
• The Crusaders have competed at the Golfweek Program Challenge each of the last four seasons. The program’s individual 54-hole scoring record was set at the event by Michelle Kleckner in 2013.

Next Up

Valpo plays the second round of the three-round tournament on Monday, as Curtis will tee off on hole 10 at 8 a.m. CT.