PULLMAN, Wash. – The 2019-20 season was all about the 'Road to the Ridge' for the Washington State women's golf team, as the Cougars were gearing towards hosting an NCAA Regional for the first time in program history in May. However, the route to Palouse Ridge had an unexpected detour. Just as the Cougs were hitting their stride, with the season coming to an abrupt end in mid-March due to the NCAA cancelling the remainder of the 2020 spring sports season due the COVID-19 pandemic.
"This whole year we had one vision and that was 'Road to the Ridge'", said head coach Kelli Kamimura. "We were set to host the first-ever NCAA Regional on the women's side at Palouse Ridge Golf Course. We knew that we had the caliber of team to make it to the NCAA (Regional) and we were focused on working hard to get there."
Washington State was able to get the majority of its 2019-20 slate in, as they played in seven of the 10 scheduled tournaments. However the NCAA had to cancel the NCAA Regional set for May 11-13 at Palouse Ridge Golf Course.
"We understand the necessity to cancel the season and the NCAA Regional," Kamimura expressed. "We are hopeful that we will get another opportunity to host in the future. I know there is a lot of unknowns and a lot of uncertainty with the NCAA right now, but we would love to have that opportunity again to bring in teams from all over the country and show people what a great place Pullman is and how wonderful Palouse Ridge Golf Course is."
It was a successful run for the Cougs through the abbreviated slate, as they opened the 2019-20 season with back-to-back top-five finishes at the WSU Cougar Cup (5th; 863, -1) and the Coeur d'Alene Resort Invitational (4th; 887, +35). Washington State picked up a pair of 10th place finishes at the Stanford Invitational (10th; 875, +23) and the Bruin/Wave Invitational (10th (935, +71), then closed out the season on a high-note by posting a second-place finish at the Meadow Club Invitational (March 9-10) by carding 877 (+13).
"We had some (tournaments) where the team really came out strong, then we had some that were learn-and-grow events," said Kamimura of her team's play throughout the season. "Finishing in second place at Meadow Club was just awesome and it was a showcase of what this team is capable of in a tough field. We were so excited about that finish. We were in a position to build off that with three tournaments left before the stoppage of play."
The second-place finish at the Meadow Club Invitational was highlighted by senior Marie Lund-Hansen and sophomore Amy Chu sharing the tournament's individual title, as each carded 214 (-2) through the 54-hole tournament. It was the first collegiate win for both, as their first-place tie, coupled with sophomore Darcy Habgood's eighth-place finish, helped WSU collect its highest team finish outside of Pullman since the 2013-14 season.
"It is a very unique experience to have two teammates win an individual title," expressed Kamimura. "Marie finished her rounds first, and then Amy hit a six-foot putt to end it and put her in a tie with Marie. We didn't know it until we got to the green. They both were so proud to share that title with one another. It was a really exciting moment for the team and a fun way to end our season, even though we didn't know that at the time. Wins like this gets everyone excited about the future."
The individual title capped off a remarkable senior season for Lund-Hansen The Aabenraa, Denmark native collected three top-three finishes for the Cougs and led the team in scoring average at 73.11 strokes per round. Lund-Hansen posted back-to-back top-five finishes to begin the season, as she ended in a tie for fifth at the WSU Cougar Cup (211 (-5)) then tied for third a week later at the CDA Resort Invitational with a 216 (+3). The senior also finished first on the team in five of the team's six traditional tournaments they played in. Lund-Hansen shot a team-best round score of 69 in two different rounds, with the first coming in the second round of the WSU Cougar Cup, then again in the third round of the Stanford Invitational (Oct. 11-13).
Fellow senior Elodie Bridenne capped off her 2019-20 campaign by collecting her best finish of the season at the Meadow Club Invitational. The Rennes Cedex, France native finished play at Meadow Club in a tie for 46th, where she shot a season-low round of 74. Bridenne began her senior campaign by carding a season-best 230 (+4) to finish in a tie for 74th at the WSU Cougar Cup.
Both Lund-Hansen and Bridenne will leave a mark on the WSU program according to Kamimura.
"Marie is a very vocal leader and Elodie is more of a lead-by-example type. We're so proud of their growth over the last four years in both the classroom and on the golf course. We're just so proud of them. One of the things as coaches you look forward to is seeing how your student-athletes grow during their time with you and both of them have taken huge strides with us. We're very excited for their futures."
Despite the abbreviated season, the Cougars were able to build on a foundation for the future. Redshirt junior Emily Baumgart, along with a trio of underclassmen in sophomores Amy Chu and Darcy Habgood and freshman Jiye Ham, scored in 13-or-more rounds for the Cougs.
"We have such an awesome core group," said the head coach. "Not only to what they've achieved on the golf course, but also what they bring to the culture of our program. It's been fun to see how they've grown and developed, each in their own way."
Habgood, who came to the Palouse from Nambucca Heads Australia, collected three top-15 finishes during the 2019-20 season, while battling knee injuries off-and-on throughout the campaign. The sophomore finished second on the team in scoring average at 73.88 strokes per round and shot a career-low round score of 69 at WSU Cougar Cup and the CDA Resort Invitational.
"Darcy fought through a lot of adversity dealing with an injury throughout the season. At Meadow Club she was able to fight through it and post some great numbers that helped our team."
The Cougars took big strides in 2019-20 and look to continue to build off that success next season with the majority of the team's core coming back for another go in 2020-21.
"We are excited about the trajectory of the program," expressed Kamimura. "To have the players we have coming back is exciting. They are improving on the golf course and developing who they are. They are such a fun group. Fun to work with, coachable and are buying into what we are trying to do. They make every day as a coach fun and something to look forward to."
