The records keep falling for the No. 7 Washington University women’s golf team. One week after freshman Olivia Lugar broke the single-round record with a 71 at the O’Brien Invitational, junior and previous record-holder Hannah Buck took it right back with a 69 in the first round of the Illinois Wesleyan University Fall Classic.

Faced with a challenge, the No. 7 Washington University women’s golf team responded triumphantly. Wash. U. finished round one of the O’Brien National Invitational 19 strokes off the pace set by No. 1 Methodist University and No. 8 Centre College, but the Bears rallied in round two to move from seventh place up to third. “This tournament is unique.

Battling horrendous conditions that would make even the most rugged of golfers cringe, the No. 5 Washington University women’s golf team showed its tenacity this weekend.

In the wake of the women’s golf team’s quick successes, including reaching the NCAA Championship in its second year of existence, junior Zack Cupkovic and freshman Kyle Bank are working with Washington University’s Athletic Department in an effort to transform the club golf team into a varsity program. If successful, Washington University will field a men’s golf team for the first time since 1992, when the sport fell victim to budget cuts.

The Washington University women’s golf team is headed to the national championship in just its second year as a varsity sport.

As far as women’s golf programs go, No. 6 George Fox University and No. 14 Washington University in St. Louis have a tremendous amount in common. And yet, one extra George Fox stroke at their conference championship this past weekend may be the difference between Wash. U.

Freshman Hannah Buck fired a 6-over 78 in the second round of the McKendree Spring Invitational, her best round of the spring, for a 160 total. Buck also took home medalist honors, while the No. 13 Washington University women’s golf team took third overall. Wash. U., the only school from the NCAA, trailed Rend Lake College by just one stroke after the first round, despite a sluggish 343.

Several souvenirs line the windowsill of Sean Curtis’ office on the fourth floor of the Athletic Complex. They seem to blend into the clutter of it all, but there is one plaque in particular that Curtis, head coach of the Washington University women’s golf team, doesn’t hesitate to show off. “Still have it,” he says, bringing the trophy over to his desk.

Allow me to be frank. As I see it, the bashing of Tiger Woods for deciding to return to the Masters just weeks after he stood before cameras and said, “I do plan to return to golf one day. I just don’t know when that day will be,” is stupid and naïve. As a golf fan, two words flashed across my mind as I watched him utter that: green jacket. That’s right.

Golf teams across the Midwest are finally starting to notice the Washington University women’s golf squad. The unranked and unheralded Bears followed up on last week’s tournament title by capturing the Illinois Wesleyan University Fall Classic. “There’s no expectations on us,” senior Margaret Manning said. “We’ve done it for ourselves, for our team.” In the [...]