The Ole Miss women’s golf team posted their best finish of the spring season Sunday, placing second at their home event at the Ole Miss Golf Course. This is the second time Ole Miss has claimed runner-up honors, doing the same in 2009 with former Ole Miss women’s golfer Dori Carter earning medalist honors.

Troy’s Fatima Cano claimed medalist honors while Murray State’s Moa Folke was named runner-up. The two scored 73-70-66—209 and 71-68-75—214 respectively.
For the Rebels, it’s a big boost before headed to the SEC Women’s Golf Championship in two weeks.

“Today was a lot of fun,” head coach Kory Henkes said. “It’s the best round we’ve had since the fall, shooting 2-under as a team so I was really proud of how we fought back. We were a few shots back going into today so a second place finish is something for the team to be proud of. It should give us a little bit of momentum going into the SEC Championship.”

Senior Alison Hovatter (Meridianville, Ala.) led the way for the Red and Blue in the final round, firing a 4-under par 68 and finishing in a tie for sixth. Several low numbers, including five birdies and a 4-under par back nine, highlighted her round.

“It was good seeing Ali, being a senior, shooting a 68,” Henkes said. “Same thing with Abby (Newton) shooting a 71. It was huge to have that leadership from them to get the team going today.”

“It was really special,” Hovatter added. “I knew I just wanted to go out there today and give it everything I had for my team and this university. I feel like I did that today. I was 1-over after six and

Coach Drew (Belt) came to me and told me to putt like I’m going to make everything. I did that and it changed my mentality from that point on. I felt like I could make any put I looked at from that point on.”

Junior Madisen Bentley (University Place, Wash,) and Maria Toennessen (Grimstad, Norway) also finished in the top-20. Bentley carded a 16th place 79-72-72—223 while Toennessen posted an 18th-place finish 72-74-79—225.

The Rebels are back at it in two weeks when they play at the SEC Women’s Golf Championship in Birmingham, Ala.