Solid finish to fall season for Calamaro, Illinois

   Jackie Calamaro, the 2009 PIAA champion as a senior at Radnor, and her Illinois teammates got a taste of some big-time competition at the Betsy Rawls Longhorn Invitational, which concluded Tuesay at the University of Texas Course.
Calamaro, a redshirt sophomore, had steady rounds of 83, 80 and 82 to finish 77th at 245.
   After struggling with rounds of 312 and 317, the Fighting Illini posted their best round of the fall, a 298, which bettered seven teams in the elite field for the day. Overall, Illinois finished last of 15 at 927.
   It was an encouraging finish for Illinois, which was led by sophomore Pimploy Thirati. She finished with a career-best 1-under 71 in Tuesday’s final round to finish 37th at 225.
   The Illini also got strong final-round showings from junior Emily Schuldt and redshirt sophomore and Texas transfer Samantha Postillion, both of whom carded 2-over 74s. Schuldt finished in a tie for 50th at 228 and Postillion finished in a tie for 60th at 232.
   Freshman Michelle Meyer finished 80th at 250.
   Reigning NCAA champion Alabama shared team honors with SEC rival Florida at 863. The two schools also accounted for the two names at the top of the individual leaderboard as the Crimson Tide’s Jennifer Kirby (69-69-70) shared individual medalist honors with the Gators’ Camilla Hedberg (71-67-70) at 8-under 208.
   The Betsy Rawls Longhorn was the final event on the Illini’s fall schedule. They’ll return to action Feb. 3 with the Illinois Challenge in Venice, Fla.

Purdue runs into Sandy

 

   The Purdue women’s golf team only got in one full round as The Landfall Tradition, held at the Country Club of Landfall’s Jack Nicklaus Course in Wilmington, N.C., had an unwanted guest when Hurricane Sandy started to flex her considerable muscle in the second day of the scheduled three-day event.
   The Boilermakers, ranked 14th in the nation, ended up in a tie for third with a 295 total. Oklahoma State claimed the title with a 293 total with Duke a shot back at 294.
   Purdue was led by senior Kishi Sinha, who finished in a tie for fifth with a solid 71. Freshman Margaux Vanmol was another shot back in a tie for 11th at 72. Senior Paul Reto, who was the individual medalist at The Landfall a year ago, finished in a tie for 31st at 75 and senior Laura Gonzalez-Escallon was another shot back in a tie for 36th at 76.
   Reto’s performance a year ago had led the Boilermakers to the team title at The Landfall. The Country Club of Landfall is also the scene of one of Purdue’s finest moments as it claimed the 2010 NCAA crown at the Pete Dye Course.
   Sophomore Aurora Kan, the three-time Daily Times Player of the Year when she was at Chichester, had a 79 and finished in a tie for 65th. Kan was coming off her best collegiate performance, a tie for seventh at the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Challenge.
   Hurricane Sandy cut short Purdue’s final event of the fall season. The Boilermakers will return to action when they play host at the Lady Puerto Rico Classic Feb. 10 to 12 in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.

 

Philadelphia PGA Junior Tour

   A couple of up-and-coming players teed it up in a Philadelphia PGA Junior Tour stop Oct. 27 at The Links G.C. in Marlton, N.J.
   Gabriella Kim, whom Radnor coach Andy Achenbach thinks may be joining the lineup of his reigning PIAA Class AAA champion Red Raiders next fall, fired a 91 to finish third in the 13-to-15 age group.
   A shot behind Kim in fourth place with a 92 was Caprian Kan, a Boothwyn resident and younger sister of 2010 PIAA champion Aurora Kan.
   Katie Lee of Ringoes, N.J. took top honors in the division with an 88. Kaitlyn Lees of Bryn Mawr was second with a 90.
Great Valley junior Sawyer Wolfers lost in a match of scorecards for top honors in the boys 16-to-18 division to Gregory Szrom of Egg Harbor Township, N.J. after both carded 77s.
   Garnet Valley sophomore Michael Stanilka finished in a tie for 11th with a 91.
   In the boys 13-to-15 division, Jacob Liberman of Radnor finished in a tie for 11th with a 102.