Strong showing for Kan, Purdue at Landfall Tradition

   Aurora Kan, the three-time Daily Times Player of the Year at Chichester, and her Purdue teammates saved their best effort of the fall part of the 2014-15 campaign for last.

   The Boilermakers have been slowly rebuilding since finishing third at the NCAA Tournament  in 2013 at the end of Kan’s sophomore season. But a young team took a giant step forward against one of the top fields of the fall in the Landfall Tradition, which concluded Sunday at the Country Club of Landfall’s Pete Dye Course in Wilmington, N.C.

   And Kan, who won the PIAA Tournament as a senior at Chichester four years ago, kick-started the Boilers with one of the best rounds of her collegiate career, a 4-under 68 in Friday’s opening round that put Purdue ahead of the pack in the team chase with a 283 total. After a lot of ups and downs this fall, Purdue flashed the ability it possesses when the team puts it all together.

   Purdue fell back with a second-round 295 Saturday and a final-round 298 Sunday for an 876 total. Still, the Boilers finished in a tie for seventh with reigning national champion Duke and ahead of five of the top-25 ranked teams in Division I.

   Wake Forest, an ACC rival of Duke’s, took the team title with an 865 total. The Demon Deacons got a solid showing from freshman Erica Herr, the two-time PIAA champion from Council Rock North, who finished tied for 11^th at even-par 216 after firing a final round of 2-under 70.

   Powerhouse Alabama finished second at 868, South Carolina and Notre Dame shared third place at 871, Virginia was fifth at 872 and Oklahoma State was sixth at 873. Purdue and Duke were another three shots back in a tie for seventh.

   Kan, too, cooled off a little following her fast start. She had rounds of 74 and 78 over the weekend to finish in a tie for 24^th at 4-over 220. Marta  Martin, a freshman for Spain, had a breakout performance with rounds of 71, 74 and 73 and was the low Boilermaker at 2-over 218 and tied for 16^th in the individual standings.

   Sophomore August Kim, the Floridian who might be Purdue’s most talented player, sandwiched a 71 and a 72 around a 77 in the middle round to match Kan’s 220 total.

   Johanna Tillstrom, Purdue’s senior Swede, had rounds of 75, 71 and 75 to finish a shot back of Kim and Kan at 5-over 221 in a tie for 32^nd.

   Anna Appert Lund, Purdue’s junior Swede, opened with a 1-over 73, a big factor, along with Kan’s 68, in that stunning start for the Boilermakers. Appert Lund fell back with rounds of 76 and 79 to finish in a tie for 69^th at 228.

   Central Florida’s Ashley Holder claimed the individual title with a 7-under 209 total.

   It was a great way for Purdue to finish the fall campaign, giving the Boilers some positive vibes between now and the start of the spring campaign. Purdue opens the spring by hosting the Lady Puerto Rico Classic at Rio Mar Country Club in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico Feb. 15 to 17.