McCauley Named Big Ten Co-Player of the Week

College

Bella McCauley was named the Big Ten Co-Player of the Week earlier this month, after she tied for sixth in the Purdue Puerto Rico Classic. The University of Minnesota sophomore from Inver Grove Heights broke par in all three rounds at the Grand Resort Golf Club, shooting 69-71-70--210 (6 under). 

Anna Morgan, a fifth-year senior at Furman, claimed medalist honors with a 54-hole total of 206. The 2023 Southern Conference female athlete of the year and winner of the 2023 Women's North and South Amateur made five birdies and no bogeys in her final round of 67 and finished two ahead of another fifth-year senior, Ingrid Lindblade of LSU. Lindblad, who ascended to No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings in June of 2023, finished with a flourish, with birdies on three of the last five holes, and closed with a 68 for an aggregate of 208.

McCauley started the final round in a three-way tie for third at 140. She made three birdies and three bogeys in the first 10 holes, then played the last eight in 2 under. This was the second time during the 2023-24 college season that the former Minnesota state Class AAA high school champion and MGA Girls Junior champ has been the Big Ten player of the week, and the third time in her year and a half with the Gophers.The other co-player of the week was Nebraska sophomore Kelli Ann Strand, on the strength of her tie for sixth in the UCF Challenge at Eagle Creek GC in Orlando, Fla. Like McCauley, she posted a 54-hole total of 210. 

Arkansas didn't have any individuals in the top 10 in Puerto Rico, but the Razorbacks had two players -- Kendall Todd and Reagan Zibliski -- tied for 11th and four in the top 25, and they won the team title by one shot with an overall 854. Lindblad's LSU team was one behind in second at 855. Auburn was another stroke behind in third at 856. Minnesota finished eighth in the 15-team field at 875. 

The Gophers' Emma Carpenter, a grad student from DeKalb, Ill., wound up in a five-way tie for 11th -- along with those two Arkansas players -- at 214. She opened with a 70 and followed it with a pair of even-par 72s. 


Purdue Puerto Rico Classic

At Grand Resort Golf Club

Par 72, 6,305 yards

Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, US

Final results

1. Arkansas                         293-285-276--854

2. LSU                                 283-289-283---855

3. Auburn                             292-287-277--856

4. Texas A&M                      284-288-285--858

5. Oklahoma  State             286-289-285--860

6. Georgia Southern           290-292-288--870

7. TCU                                296-291-286--873

8. Minnesota                     283-296-276--875

9. Kansas State                  294-292-290--876

10. Purdue                         291-294--295--880

11. Furman                        292-291-298--881

12. Ole Miss                     290-297-295--882

13. Mercer University        285-308-295--898

14. Louisiana Monroe       306-302-297--906

15. Cincinnati                    301-309-302--912

Individuals 

1. Anna Morgan, Furman            68-71-67--206

2. Ingrid Lindblad, LSU               71-69-68--208

T3. Megan Schofill, Auburn         70-71-68--209

T3. Bianca Garcia-Poggio, A&M  69-71-69--209

T3. Carla Biernat, Kansas State   67-71-71--209     

T6. Bella McCauley, Minn.          69-71-70--210

T6. Anna Foster, Auburn              73-72-65--210

8. Momo Suziyama, Purdue         67-73-71--211

T11. Emma Carpenter, Minn.      70-72-72--214

T52. Grace Curran, Minnesota   77-76-72--225

T58 Hailey Loh, Minnsota           77-77-72--226

79. Megan Furtney, Minnesota    78-78-75--231