Ole Miss Women’s Golf Brings Home Second Sweep of the Season at The Ally

Strong winds and freezing temperatures weren’t enough to cool off a red-hot Ole Miss women’s golf team at Old Waverly Golf Club on Tuesday, with the Rebels bringing home yet another tournament sweep on the fall season from The Ally.

An even round of 288 from the Rebels on Tuesday helped see Ole Miss close a six-stroke deficit to open the day en route to winning their second team title of the season with a three-round total of 867 (+3).

The Rebels were on another level in West Point, leading the field in total birdies (44), total pars (174) and par-4 scoring (+15) over the team’s 56-hole stretch at Old Waverly Golf Club. Ole Miss finished the tournament as the only team to have two of its three rounds finish under par, logging 287 (-1) and 288 (E) in rounds two and three.

“It was a huge team effort to be able to come from behind to win today,” said Ole Miss head coach Kory Henkes. “We started six shots back and ended up with a two-shot win, and that just shows the incredible fight this team has. It was really cold and windy out here today, but they all just brought good attitudes and played some great golf.”

Much of the team’s success can be credited to Andrea Lignell, who brought home her second medalist finish of the year with a 213 (-3) scorecard to push her on top of a back-and-forth battle on the individual leaderboard.

“I honestly don’t even think Dre knew she was in the running to win it,” Henkes said. “When she finished I told her she had won and her reaction was just like, are you serious? It’s been pretty cool to be able to see her get two wins this semester and she’s just playing some fantastic golf right now.”

Lignell’s tournament consisted of shooting all three rounds under par (71-71-71), something she has now done in eight of her nine rounds played this season. Ranking No. 1 in the field in par-3 scoring (-2) on the week, Lignell has now finished in the top two at every tournament so far this fall.

With the sweep of team and individual titles at The Ally, the Rebels have now tied the single-season program record of two tournament sweeps in a single year, a feat that has only happened three other times for the team (1991-92, 1992-93, 2017-18).

Ellen Hume’s strong showing in West Point also earned her a spot in the tournament’s top five, with the Whitwell, England, native finishing tied for third with a 216 (E) on the week. Hume ends her week as the tournament-leader in par-4 scoring (-3), as her third place finish at Old Waverly marks her first top 5 finish with the Rebels since earning medalist honors at the 2020 East Lake Cup.

Chiara Tamburlini wrapped up play at The Ally by finishing tied for tenth on the individual leaderboard, bringing home a three-round scorecard of 220 (+4).

Tamburlini’s streak now extends to six straight appearances with a finish in the top 10 dating back to last year’s Gators Invitational. Additionally Tamburlini has finished in the top 20 for 14 straight appearances with the Rebels, with that streak beginning all the way back in May of 2021 at the NCAA Championships.

Sophomore Natacha Host Husted also nabbed a top 20 finish for the Rebels, firing home a round of 70 (-2) on day two of The Ally to finish five-over par and tied for 13th. Host Husted has now finished in the top 20 at all three fall tournaments for the Rebels, with this marking her second time tying for 13th after doing so at the season-opening Cougar Classic.

Freshman Nicole Gal wrapped her collegiate debut up just outside of an appearance in the top 20, finishing tied for 25th overall at 10-over par. Gal saved her best round for last, bringing home a round three scorecard of 73 (+1) to cap off her first career appearance with the Rebels.

Elle Johnson and Ellen Hutchinson-Kay both competed as individuals at this year’s installment of The Ally, as Johnson’s tournament would end with her tied for 27th and Hutchinson-Kay finishing 57th overall.

The Rebels will now head abroad to close out their 2022 fall season, with the team trekking to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico to take part in the Battle at the Beach. The three-day tournament will run Oct. 28-30 at Club Campestre Golf Club.

THE REBELS
1. #4 Andrea Lignell: 71-71-71–213 (-3)
T3. Ellen Hume: 72-70-74–216 (E)
T10. #9 Chiara Tamburlini: 73-71-76–220 (+4)
T13. #79 Natacha Host Husted: 76-75-70–221 (+5)
T25. Nicole Gal: 77-76-73–226 (+10)
*T27. Elle Johnson: 73-79-75–227 (+11)
*57. Ellen Hutchinson-Kay: 83-81-79–243 (+27)
* competing as an individual

TOURNAMENT LEADERBOARD
1. #7 Ole Miss: 292-287-288–867 (+3)
2. #30 SMU: 282-291-296–869 (+5)
3. #3 Mississippi State: 303-288-295–886 (+22)
4. #42 Alabama: 307-298-294–899 (+35)
5. Old Dominion: 298-304-298–900 (+36)
6. Illinois: 295-307-303–905 (+41)
7. Missouri: 308-300-299–907 (+43)
8. James Madison: 306-309-294–909 (+45)
9. Indiana: 309-294-307–910 (+46)
10. Chattanooga: 307-298-316–921 (+57)
11. Mercer: 310-312-317–939 (+75)

Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports