Caseyville, IL - The weather couldn't quite make up its mind, daylight was running short, and the final few holes brought a few more nerves than anyone might have expected, but by Tuesday evening, there was no uncertainty about who owned Far Oaks Golf Club. McKendree University Women's Golf walked away with both the team and individual championships, putting together a commanding 22-stroke victory while senior Chiara Bortolotti delivered a memorable finish to claim medalist honors on her home course. The two-day event featured an unusual format, with 27 holes played Monday and another 27 Tuesday in an effort to get all 54 holes completed before darkness. The schedule proved necessary, as Tuesday's competition wrapped up with roughly half an hour of daylight to spare. Mother Nature added another wrinkle. Both mornings began with bitterly cold temperatures, only for conditions to warm considerably as the hours passed, often affecting how to approach certain shots from round-to-round. McKendree, meanwhile, wasted little time establishing itself as the team to beat. The Bearcats opened with a 307 (+19), trimmed 11 strokes off that mark with a second-round 296 (+8), and followed with a 299 (+11) to post a three-round total of 902 (+38). Rockhurst was the nearest challenger at 924 (+60), while Drury settled into third at 931 (+67). The individual leaderboard was just as impressive. Bortolotti secured the top spot at 218 (+2),
Waritsara Rungrojanaluk earned a share of second at 221 (+5), and Alba Camps took fifth at 222 (+6).
CHIARA BORTOLOTTI | MEDALIST | +2 / 218
Rounds: 75 (+3) | 73 (+1) | 70 (-2)
Chiara Bortolotti knew something was happening. She just wasn't entirely sure what.
With two holes remaining Tuesday, the McKendree senior admitted she was feeling "super shaky". She had "no clue" where she stood in the tournament, and the growing number of spectators suddenly following her group wasn't exactly helping settle her nerves.
What she didn't realize was that she was on the verge of winning the whole thing.
Bortolotti had steadily worked her way up the leaderboard, beginning with a three-over-par 75 before carding a 73 in her second trip around Far Oaks. Then came Tuesday's closing stretch, when she turned in the finest round of the tournament.
Her two-under-par 70 featured a 35 on each nine, with birdies at the par-5 first, par-4 10th, and par-4 17th helping her reach the clubhouse at 218 (+2).
Nobody else in the field broke 71 over the three rounds.
As Bortolotti approached the ninth green, her final hole of the competition, a sizable gallery had gathered.
There were teammates, coaches, and supporters waiting nearby, many of whom already understood what was unfolding.
Once the final putt dropped, the nerves gave way to congratulations. Hugs and well wishes followed as Bortolotti made her way to the clubhouse.
Head Coach
Mikal Guffey handled the awards presentation, and while going through Bortolotti's scores before announcing her as the individual champion, he became visibly emotional.
It was a fitting conclusion to a special afternoon for the senior, who had just captured medalist honors in front of a home crowd, marking her third career win.
Bortolotti's 218 gave her a three-shot victory over the trio tied for runner-up.
WARITSARA RUNGROJANALUK | T-2ND | +5/221
Rounds: 76 (+4) | 74 (+2) | 71 (-1)
Rungrojanaluk shaved two strokes off her opening-round 76 with a 74 in the second, then saved another strong showing for Tuesday's finale. Her one-under-par 71 featured birdies at the fourth and ninth holes, along with another at the par-4 10th.
The steady progression carried her to 221 (+5), good for a share of second place with Rockhurst's Marley Dunham and Drury's Phoebe Bourne.
Her 71 was also tied for the second-lowest round of the entire competition, trailing only Bortolotti's closing 70.
ALBA CAMPS | 5TH | +6/222
Rounds: 74 (+2) | 72 (E) | 76 (+4)
Before Bortolotti and Rungrojanaluk made their final-round moves, it was Alba Camps setting the early pace for McKendree.
Camps opened the tournament with a two-over-par 74, the lowest first-round score among the Bearcats. She followed that effort with an even-par 72, giving herself an excellent position heading into the final 18 holes.
Her second round included three birdies, highlighted by a four on the par-5 third and a two on the par-3 sixth. A one-under 35 on the outward nine helped offset a 37 coming home.
Camps encountered a few more difficulties in her final round, signing for a 76 after playing the front nine in 37 and the back in 39.
Even so, the groundwork she laid Monday proved valuable.
Her 222 (+6) secured fifth place outright, just one stroke behind Rungrojanaluk and four shy of the individual champion.
With Camps joining her teammates near the top of the standings, McKendree claimed three of the first five individual finishing spots, an impressive display of depth against the 10-team field.
RACHAWADEE SRIMAUNG | T-21ST | +28/244
Rounds: 82 (+10) | 77 (+5) | 85 (+13)
Rachawadee Srimaung's best golf came during the middle portion of the tournament, when she bounced back from an opening 82 with a five-over-par 77.
That second-round effort began with an even-par 36 on the front nine, including a birdie at the par-4 ninth and eight pars. It was a notable improvement from her first trip around the outward nine, when she recorded a 42.
A 41 on the back completed her strongest round of the event and gave McKendree another useful contribution during its best team round.
Srimaung was unable to carry that same momentum into the final 18, recording an 85 Tuesday to bring her total to 244 (+28).
CALE ALBERTINA | 32ND | +34/250
Rounds: 89 (+17) | 79 (+7) | 82 (+10)
Cale Albertina authored one of McKendree's biggest round-to-round improvements, taking 10 strokes off her score between her first and second rounds.
Her opening 89 included a strong two-under-par 34 on the front nine, though trouble on the back nine pushed her score higher.
The following round was considerably more balanced.
Albertina navigated the first nine holes in 38, then came home in 41 for a seven-over-par 79. It was her best 18-hole showing of the week and a welcome response to the difficulties she encountered earlier.
An 82 in the finale gave Albertina a three-round total of 250 (+34), placing her 32nd in the individual standings.
OLIVIA JOHNSON | 46TH | +63/207
Rounds: 102 (+30) | 105 (+33)
Competing independently of McKendree's five-player team lineup, Olivia Johnson participated in the first two rounds at Far Oaks.
Johnson began with a 102, splitting her score between a 52 on the front nine and a 50 on the back. Her second round produced a 105, including a 50 on the outward side.
With no third-round score recorded, Johnson's tournament concluded at 207 (+63) through 36 holes, placing her 46th on the final leaderboard.
REAGAN POTTS | 49TH | +72/288
Rounds: 93 (+21) | 97 (+25) | 98 (+26)
Reagan Potts completed all three rounds as an individual entrant for the Bearcats.
Her best score came in the opener, when she posted a 93 behind a 47 on the front nine and a 46 on the back.
Potts added rounds of 97 and 98 over the remaining 36 holes, ultimately recording a 288 (+72) to take 49th place.
PRESLEY MORRIS | 51ST | +89/233
Rounds: 113 (+41) | 120 (+48)
Presley Morris was McKendree's third individual competitor at the tournament, joining Johnson and Potts outside the official team lineup.
Morris registered a 113 in her opening round, followed by a 120 in the second. Her 36-hole total of 233 (+89) placed her 51st overall, with no score recorded for the final round.
REAGAN MARTIN | ONE LAST ROUND AS A BEARCAT
For Reagan Martin, Tuesday wasn't about the leaderboard, a trophy or where she might finish among the field.
It was simply about getting to play collegiate golf one more time.
The McKendree senior had been sidelined by a knee injury, keeping her out of competition as her college career approached its conclusion. With graduation coming in December, another opportunity to represent the Bearcats on the course was far from guaranteed.
Head coach Mikal Guffey found a way to make it happen.
Martin was allowed to play the final round at Far Oaks without counting toward McKendree's team score, allowing her to experience one last trip around the course as a Bearcat.
There was no official placement to chase, and her score wasn't part of the team standings. The occasion itself was what mattered.
Following the conclusion of the tournament, Martin was presented with flowers in recognition of her collegiate career.
Amid the excitement of McKendree's championship celebration, it was a thoughtful sendoff for a senior whose final round meant something entirely different from the rest of the field.
A HOME CHAMPIONSHIP TO REMEMBER
McKendree's 902 (+38) was comfortably ahead of the field, with Rockhurst taking second at 924 (+60) and Drury third at 931 (+67). Wisconsin-Parkside placed fourth at 947 (+83), followed by Illinois Springfield at 948 (+84).
Upper Iowa, Maryville, Kentucky Wesleyan, William Jewell and Quincy completed the 10-team standings.
The Bearcats also produced the lowest second-round team score in the field, a 296 (+8), and maintained their advantage through Tuesday's closing stretch.
Bortolotti experienced the thrill of winning an individual championship on familiar fairways, surrounded by teammates and supporters. Martin received a chance to close out her collegiate playing days on her own terms. And Guffey watched his program celebrate both moments while bringing home another team title.
Two seniors, two very different endings, and one memorable afternoon at Far Oaks.
For McKendree women's golf, it was quite a way to finish a championship.
