The University of Toronto women’s golf team finished another successful season with its second Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championship in a row at the Cambridge Golf Club on October 21–22.
The season began at the Highland Country Club in London, Ontario, where the women’s team managed a second place finish. The tournament featured sophomore Sarah Dunning’s star-making turn. She finished the tournament shooting a round of 75 and winning the first tournament for U of T.
Next, the defending champions finished first at the Country Club of Meadville, Pennsylvania. Dunning once again shot well and tied for sixth among all competitors. Her teammate, Laura Upenieks, finished first with a two-day total of 154.
The Blues then finished with another second-place finish at the Waterloo Invitational, and first-place finish at the Toronto Invitational, earning them a chance to compete for the provincial championship title.
At the championships, U of T narrowly edged Waterloo for the title by one stroke; U of T shot a total of 479, Waterloo 480. The exciting end came after the Blues almost blew a five-stroke lead that they shot after day one. Nevertheless, the Blues persevered and brought U of T its second championship in a row.
Overall, the season was a huge success — not only for the women’s golf team, but also for its individual players, like veteran Laura Upenieks and Sarah Dunning. Upenieks’s season merited the fifth-year player two U of T female Athlete of the Week honours, including the week of the Blues’ championship tournament.
Upenieks — a Sociology Master’s student — is a likely candidate for a second oua all-star berth in a row after her strong season. Similarly, Dunning established herself as one of the best players in the province this year. With Dunning demonstrating such early success, the future bodes well for the U of T team.
First, U of T looks to improve on fourth-place finish at the National University Championships last year. The tournament date is to be determined, but will likely occur in June 2014. Additionally, the women’s team looks to achieve the rare and difficult feat of three provincial championships in a row.
