Women's Golf Set for Spring Opener at Bay Point

Setting The Scene
What: 2023 Lady Bison Bay Point Classic, hosted by Lipscomb
When: Sunday-Tuesday, Feb. 5-7 (54 holes), 8 a.m. shotgun starts each day
Where: Par-72, 5971-yard Bay Point GC (Nicklaus Course), Panama City, Fla.
The Field: 16 teams (Bucknell, UAB, Bethune-Cookman, Charleston Southern, Chattanooga, Dayton, Florida Gulf Coast, Lehigh, Lipscomb, Loyola Chicago, Morehead State, Murray State, North Alabama, UNC Asheville, South Dakota State, Valparaiso)

LIVE SCORING: GolfStat.com

About the Bison

Bucknell makes its 2023 debut at Lipscomb's Lady Bison Bay Point Classic, which runs from Sunday through Tuesday on the Nicklaus Course at Bay Point Golf Club. This is the first of six spring tournaments for the Bison, culminating with the Patriot League Championship Apr. 21-23 at Independence GC in Midlothian, Va.
Tara Thomas, Paige Richter, Kelsey Yi, Kayla Yi, and Tatum McKelvey will represent the Bison at Bay Point. Bucknell will be paired with Dayton and UAB in round one, starting on holes 11-13. The Bison will see Patriot League rival Lehigh in the groups behind.
The Bison played five events in the fall, highlighted by a win at the Bucknell Invitational in September. Thomas led the team with a 76.4 scoring average in the fall. The freshman Richter was a close second at 76.7, and twin sisters Kayla (78.3) and Kelsey (78.6) also had sub-80 averages. Thomas and Richter both scored in the 70s in 12 of the 14 rounds.
The Bison won their annual fall tourney by 15 shots, with Thomas claiming medalist honors with a record-setting performance. Bucknell tied the school record with a 296 team score in the second round, and the 905 total was the second-best 54-hole score in team history. The Bison missed the record by two shots, as the 54-hole mark remains 903 at the 2010 Bucknell Invitational.
Thomas tied the school record with a 69 in the second round and then followed it up with a 70 on Sunday, highlighted by a hole-in-one at No. 16. Thomas shot 216 over 54 holes – a new school record by five shots – and ran away with a nine-stroke victory over runner-up Jennifer Sorkin of Mount St. Mary's. Thomas became the first Bison ever to post two rounds of even-par or better in the same tournament.
This is the 25th season for the Bison women's golf program, which debuted in 1998-99. Laura Tyler-Cook is the fourth head coach in team history, following Brad Tufts, Kevin Jamieson, and Lisa Francisco.

The Bison at the Lady Bison Pay Point Classic

Bucknell appeared in this tournament for the first time last season and was greeted by miserable weather. The Bison shot 349-354-334 in cold, wet, and windy conditions.
Thomas was the low Bison last year, finishing T-52nd with rounds of 83-84-81. Kelsey Yi is the only other Bucknell player returning this season. She posted 83-91-85 a year ago.
South Carolina Upstate won last year's tournament with a 916 total (312-307-297). Jacksonville State was second, six strokes back, followed by host Lipscomb in third at 925.
Wofford's Becca Earl was the 2022 medalist with a 4-over-par 220 (73-76-71).

Next Up

Bucknell will next be in action on March 13-14 at the Southwest Minnesota State Spring Classic at the Wigwam Resort in Arizona.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Tatum McKelvey

Paige Richter

Tara Thomas

Kayla Yi

Kelsey Yi