Courtesy of Ball State Sports Information
YORKTOWN, Ind. - - It was a record-setting day for the Ball State women's golf team which closed play in the Brittany Kelly Classic with the lowest round in program history, at -7 (281), to win its fourth consecutive event title by 28 strokes over Campbell.
The effort was led by freshman Taylor Larkins, who shot -6 (138) over her final two rounds to capture individual medalist honors in just her second collegiate event. After starting the tournament at +4 (76), Larkins shot -4 (68) in her second round Monday and turned in the second-lowest individual round Tuesday afternoon at -2 (70).
In her charge to the individual tournament tile, Larkins turned in five birdies over her final nine holes and won the event with a par putt on the 18th hole. She finished the tournament at -2 (216), one stroke ahead of Riley Pechinski of Green Bay. Larkins also led the field in par 4 average, at -2 (3.94), and was third among the 91-player field with 11 birdies.
Along with its single round record, which was also the lowest ever shot in the tournament history, Ball State finished 2026 Brittany Kelly Classic with a program record 54-hole score of -6 (858). It was just the second time the Cardinals have broken par in a 54-hole tournament in program history. The previous record was -2 (862) set at last season's Diamante Intercollegiate (Oct. 19-21, 2026).
Prior to this season, Ball State's best score in its annual home event was a +11 (875) when it won the title in 2023. The previous tournament team record was -1 (863) shot by UIndy in 2017, while the previous round record was a -6 (282) shot by the Greyhounds in 2028.
Along with Larkins, junior Sophie Korthuijs, freshman Elizabeth Coleman, sophomore Ashley Kirkland, sophomore Skylar Dean and senior JJ Gregston finished in the event's top 10. Each had at least one round below par over the two-day event.
As an individual, Gregston tied for the tournament lead with 13 birdies, including five in her final round.
Dean helped spark a furious rally late in Tuesday's final round with a chip-in eagle on the par 4, 341-yard 17th. It was part of a seven-under stretch by Ball State's countable scorers in the round, which also included two birdied from Larkins and Kirkland and one from Korthuijs.
That late run over the closing holes helped push the Cardinals to all the program records listed above.
Behind the Cardinals in the 14-team field was Campbell at +22 (886). Morehead State finished third at +26 (890).
As a team, Ball State led the field in par 3 average (+2 / 3.04), par 4 average (+11 / 4.06), par 5 average (-8 / 4.82), birdies (42) and pars (179). The Cardinals also did a solid job limiting big miscues, with just four holes at double-or-worse. The next closest team was Campbell at 10.
It will be a quick turnaround for the Ball State women's golf team, as it returns to action Monday (Sept. 21) for the first of three rounds in the Golfweek Red Sky Classic which will pit the Cardinals against several top 25 programs.
