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Kennedy '20 (second from left) and her teammates celebrate their Regional victory in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
Kennedy '20 (second from left) and her teammates celebrate their Regional victory in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
Posted: May 12, 2023

Kennedy '21 helps Spartans to Regional Championship

May 10, 2023

EAST LANSING, MI - The Michigan State women's golf team led through the first two rounds and saw its advantage disappear early in the third round, before a strong finish on the back nine to win the NCAA Palm Beach Regional, played on the par-72, 6,312-yard course at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

The Spartans shot a final round 3-over par 291 and finished the three-day, 54-hole tournament at 8-over par 872 (285-296-291), topping the 12-team field.

Spartan Sophomore Shannon Kennedy '21 carded a 5-over par 77 in the third round and tied for 53rd place at 17-over par 233 (79-77-77). Kennedy played the challenging back nine at PGA National in even-par, with a pair of birdies.

This is the first NCAA Regional win in program history for the Spartans and Head Coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll, who has guided the program to 12 NCAA Championships in 23 regional appearances.

The top five teams and two individuals (not among the top five teams) advance from the regional to play in the NCAA Championships, which will be held from May 19-24 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.

In addition to Michigan State, the teams advancing from the Palm Beach Regional included runner-up Duke (11-over par 875), Texas and Northwestern (tied for third place at 14-over par 878) and fifth-place LSU (15-over par 879).

"I think today is one of the toughest days of the year," Slobodnik-Stoll said. "I think any coach would agree with me. Going into the last day of regionals, whether you have a 10-stroke lead or a 1-stroke lead, anything can happen because they're the best teams in the country and they are all capable of rounds under par.

"We had a couple of rough holes in the beginning and the front is the easier nine, but we seemed to steady the ship. We had moved down to third at one point on the back, but you just have to believe in these young people and what we've trained to do all year, which is to be in this position and have a spot in the National Championship."

Story & photos courtesy Michigan State University Athletics

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