A premier field at Rolling Hills
The Eastern Michigan University women's golf team traveled to Rolling Hills Estates, Calif., on March 9-10 to co-host the first-ever GameAbove Golf Invitational alongside the No. 2-ranked University of Southern California (USC). The competition was fierce, featuring an 11-team field that included three of the top four teams in the national rankings and eight programs ranked within the top 50. Playing on a challenging links-style, par-72 course measuring 6,564 yards, the Eagles proved they belonged among the elite, finishing the three-round event with a total score of 877 (300-285-292).
While No. 2 USC utilized its home-course advantage to capture the team title with a dominant 22-under 842, Eastern Michigan battled to a 13-over-par finish. This effort placed them in a three-way tie for fourth with No. 22 Arizona and No. 26 Southern Methodist University (SMU). Notably, the Eagles finished six strokes ahead of No. 11 UCLA, marking the second consecutive tournament where EMU has outperformed the Bruins.
Rewriting the record books
The Eagles’ performance in California was not just a successful finish on the leaderboard; it was a record-breaking outing for the program. The team’s total of 877 strokes stands as the sixth-best 54-hole score in Eastern Michigan history. This consistency is becoming a hallmark of the current era; it was the sixth time in six events this season that the Eagles have posted a score ranking in the program's all-time top seven.
A significant portion of this success came during a blistering second round where the team shot a 285. That mark tied for the sixth-lowest single-round score in program history, a feat the team has now achieved three times this season. Head coach Josh Brewer’s impact is evident in these statistics, as 23 of the 38 lowest rounds in EMU history have occurred during his two-season tenure.
Individual standouts lead the charge
Leading the individual effort for the Eagles was Janae Leovao, who overcame a difficult opening-round 77 to card back-to-back rounds of 70. Her 1-over 217 total secured a tie for 12th place, marking her fourth top-12 finish of the year. Leovao, currently ranked No. 59 collegiately, demonstrated her prowess by finishing ahead of 11 players ranked higher than her in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR), including six members of the top 100.
Junior Savannah de Bock also turned in a strong performance, finishing tied for 17th with a 3-over 219 (77-70-72). This was de Bock's fourth top-20 finish of the season, and like Leovao, she bested numerous higher-ranked opponents, including four players in the world’s top 100. Baiyok Sukterm followed closely behind, tying for 21st with a 6-over 222, highlighted by a 71 in the second round.
Other key contributors included Jasmine Leovao, who tied for 27th with an 8-over 224, and Matilde Zocchi, who rounded out the scoring lineup in 43rd place. Additionally, Angelica Holman, competing as an individual, recorded her personal best tournament score of the season with a 14-over 230.
Looking ahead to Florida
The Eagles’ performance at the GameAbove Invitational reinforces their status as a rising power in collegiate golf, having now defeated five teams ranked higher than them throughout the current season. With momentum on its side and several school records already broken this spring, the team will look to continue its success later this month.
Eastern Michigan returns to action March 20-22 at the Florida State Match Up. The event, hosted by Florida State University, will take place at the Seminole Legacy Golf Course in Tallahassee, Fla., providing another opportunity for the Eagles to test themselves against high-level national competition.
