Michigan State University women's golf team captures 2nd straight Big Ten championship

MAINEVILLE, Ohio -- For the second consecutive season, the Michigan State women’s golf team is champions of the Big Ten. The Spartans shot a 2-over-par 290 in Sunday’s final round to finish the tournament at 5-under-par 859 (283-286-290) – the second lowest 54-hole winning score in conference championship history.

No. 12 Michigan State overcame a one-shot deficit heading into Sunday’s final round at TPC River’s Bend in Maineville, Ohio, overtaking Maryland and then holding off hard-charging Illinois and Northwestern in a drama-filled afternoon.

The title is the Spartans’ fifth in the last eight seasons and seventh under Slobodnik-Stoll.

The Spartans’ final three players on the course – Sarah Burnham, Allyson Geer and Katie Sharp – were able to ice the title for the Spartans as they combined for five birdies over the last two holes.

Sarah Burnham led the Spartans on Sunday with a 2-under-par 70 and earned her second straight Big Ten runner-up finish at 5-under-par 211 (72-69-70). After two bogeys to start the day, Burnham was near perfect the rest of the way with four birdies and 12 pars. She finished with a birdie on the par-5 18th.

Burnham also became the first Spartan to win the Mary Fossum Award, named for the former Spartan coach and awarded to the player in the conference with the lowest stroke average to par. Burnham won the award with a -1.21 stroke average to par, which is the lowest number of any winner in the 12-year history of the accolade.

The Spartans’ tournament win gives them the Big Ten’s automatic bid to the NCAA Championships. The NCAA will announce the 2018 tournament field on Wednesday, April 25 at 5:30 p.m. on Golf Channel.

- MSU Athletic Communications