Women’s Golf Win First Sun Belt Championship

Freshman Sarunchana Rattanasin earned medalist honors, senior Mia Kness tied for second and Georgia Southern won the Sun Belt Women’s Golf Championship on Tuesday, April 19, at the LPGA International Hills Course in Daytona Beach, Florida.

It’s the first Sun Belt women’s golf title for the Eagles as Georgia Southern began its women’s golf program in 2015-16. Rattanasin is the second Eagle to earn medalist honors, joining Ella Ofstedahl, who won the event in 2019 at LPGA International.

The Eagles (+31) led the tournament wire to wire and topped defending champion Coastal Carolina (+35) by four strokes. Arkansas State (+36) finished third, and Texas State (+40) was fourth.

Rattanasin (+4) won the individual title by a stroke over Kness (+5) and UTA’s Heidrun Hlynsdottir.

Sophomore Abby Newton fired a 73 in the final round of the tournament, tying for the lowest score of the day, and finished tied for 11th. Senior Madison Heideman posted a 75, the Eagles’ second-lowest score, and tied for 27th.

Kness paced the Eagles with a 69 in the first round, while Rattanasin shot an even-par 72. Rattanasin backed that up with the second round’s lowest score, a 70, and came into the final round with a three-stroke lead. Georgia Southern entered the final 18 holes with a two-stroke advantage over the Chanticleers.

The Eagles led the tournament with 180 pars, and Rattanasin and Kness were named to the all-tournament team.

With their win, the Eagles advanced to NCAA Regionals for the first time, playing in the Tallahassee Regional at Seminole Legacy Golf Club May 9-11. Playing in a field of 12 that included nine top-50 teams, the Eagles placed as high as sixth before falling to seventh, missing the cut to continue in tournament play. Sophomore Abby Newton finished the regional tournament tied for 12th.

“To say I’m proud is an understatement,” said Head Coach Mimi Burke. “If you told me in August we would be where we were today and had a chance all three rounds of regionals to advance to the national championship, I would be in disbelief. I couldn’t imagine a better first season as the Head Women’s Golf Coach at Georgia Southern.”