Here we go again.
Back in mid-April, LSU women’s golf team absolutely destroyed the field in stroke play of the SEC championships.
The Tigers finished 54 holes with a school record of 46-under 818, nine strokes ahead of second-seed South Carolina. LSU’s three rounds of 18-under (a school record), 16-under and 12-under rank as the top three rounds in Tiger history.
But all the historic performance did was make LSU the top seed in the match play portion of the tourney that decided the league championship.
The Tigers lost in the semifinals and went home empty handed.
On Tuesday in the inaugural Jackson T. Stevens Cup at the Alotian Golf Club in Roland, Ark., LSU won the 54-hole stroke play, eight strokes ahead of South Carolina and the Tigers had the top three finishers among individuals.
And all that did was make LSU the top seed in the championship match Wednesday vs. the Gamecocks at 2 p.m. CT on The Golf Channel.
Hopefully, the Tigers will maintain the momentum provided by Ingrid Lindblad, Carla Tejedo Mulet and Latana Stone.
Lindblad, a junior, rolled in a long birdie look at the 10th hole, the first hole of the sudden death playoff, to defeat sophomore teammate Tejedo Mulet for the individual medalist championship. It was the fifth individual college title of Lindblad’s career.
The pair completed 54 holes over the par 72 layout at 1-over par 217. Lindblad shot 74-73-70 over the three rounds while Tejedo, the 36-hole leader, posed 73-70-74. Stone finished third at 3-over 219 (74-75-70).
On the playoff hole, Tejedo Mulet, taking driver, and Lindblad, taking less club, both found the fairway on the 394-yard hole. They also both found the green leaving longish birdie putts. Tejedo Mulet putted first and her attempt drifted by about three feet.
Then, Lindblad stood over her putt and posted it dead center for the birdie and the win.
After being presented with the winner’s plate, Lindblad on The Golf Channel said: “I just wanted to give (the putt) a chance because in match play you just assume the other player is going to make the putt. So, this morning I had almost the same putt, but a little longer. I hit a good putt, but with a little too much speed. So, I just wanted to give it a good read and a good go.”
Lindblad had previously won two events in the 2019-20 season as a freshman and two events in 2021 as a sophomore. Her five wins now ties her with Megan McChrystal (2009-11) who also won five college tournaments.
Only Kristi Coats (1990-93) with six and LSU and WGCA Hall of Fame golfer Jenny Lidback with seven (1985-86) have won more individual golf titles at LSU.
Tejedo Mulet is also on a roll as of late. She has now in two consecutive tournaments posted her best collegiate finishes after a third last week in the Illini Women’s Invitational at Medinah and then following that up with the runner-up finish in The Stevens Cup. Tejedo Mulet in her last six rounds over 10 days has posted 68-71-71-73-70-74.
MATCH PLAY PAIRINGS
The match play pairings have been announced for Wednesday. Here’s how LSU coach Garrett Runion has set the lineup with Tejedo Mulet and Lindblad as the bookends:
11 a.m. CT – Carla Tejedo Mulet (LSU) (+1) vs. Worapitcha Anudit (SC) (+6)
11:20 a.m. – Elsa Svensson (LSU) (+13) vs. Justine Fournand (SC) (+7)
11:40 a.m. – Latanna Stone (LSU) (+3) vs. Louis Rydqvist (SC) (+10)
Noon – Alden Wallace (LSU) (+23) vs. Mathilde Claisse (SC) (+7)
12:20 p.m. – Ingrid Lindblad (LSU) (+1) vs. Hannah Darling (SC) (+16)
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