Helton's Career Day Leads Trojans to Tournament Title
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Raquel Helton carded the first under par round in Taylor women's golf history to lead the Trojans to the Huntington Invitational title on Saturday.
Helton drained a 50-foot putt for par on her final hole to tally a 2-under par round of 71, the lowest round in Taylor women's golf history. Helton's career day propelled the sophomore to her first collegiate victory with a two-day total of 155 (84-71).
Senior Brittany Pfaff also enjoyed a career day, carding the second lowest round in TU history with a 2-over par 75. Pfaff's two-day total of 160 (85-75) earned her a third place finish.
Freshman Maddie Thomas continued her stellar play this spring with a second consecutive round of 79 to finish with a two-day total of 158 (79-79) and take second place. Thomas has now finished in the top six of all four tournaments this spring.
Taylor tallied a record-low team score of 309 (+17) during the final round with junior Grace Elenbaas adding a round of 84 to go with Helton's 71, Pfaff's 75, and Thomas's 79. Sophomore Elizabeth Jackson was TU's drop score with an 88.
The Trojans pulled away during the final round for a dominant 66-shot victory over second place Mount Vernon Nazarene. TU finished with a two-day total of 643 (334-309) as the Trojans claimed the top three spots on the individual leaderboard.
The victory is the first tournament win in TU program history. Taylor will host a one-day, 36-hole event at Ackerman-Allen Golf Course in West Lafayette on Monday before closing out the regular season next weekend at Rock Hollow.