Grace Honigford finishes 13th with another record-setting performance on final day of NCAA III Championships

Grace Honigford finishes 13th with another record-setting performance on final day of NCAA III Championships
Live Results Results
May 24, 2024

NICHOLASVILLE, Ky. — Senior Grace Honigford (West Chester/Lakota East) tied for 13th place with a 72-hole school-record of 300 after the final round of the 2024 NCAA Division III Championships on Friday.

| NCAA Championships Site |

The Basics

  • The Polar Bears finished in 20th place out of 29 teams with a a 326-321—647 and did not make the 36-hole cut.
  • Honigford made the cut as one of the top six individuals on teams that did not make the cut. 
  • ONU Record: 72-35 Overall.
  • Venue: Keene Trace Golf Club (Keen Run Course) - Nicholasville, Ky.

ONU Individuals

  • Honigford broke her own 72-hole school record by two strokes with a 74-76-73-77—300 after her final round 77.
  • She tied her own school record for 54 holes with a 74-76-73—223 after play on Thursday.
  • Honigford was tied for 16th after the second round and tied for 11th after round three.
  • She moved up five spots with her third round 73 on the par-72, 5826-yard course.
  • Honigford finished the tournament tied for 13th place out of the 81 golfers that made the 36-hole cut.

Notables

  • As a team, Ohio Northern did not make the cut of the top 15 teams after the second round and finished 20th of 29 teams at the championships.
  • Junior Amelia Burger (Centerville) tied for 76th of the original 151 golfers with an 83-77—160.
  • Sophomore Marisa Alfes (Bellbrook) tied for 114th with an 88-80—168.
  • Junior Rhianna Firmstone (Moon Township, Pa./Moon Area) tied for 129th with an 86-88—174.
  • Fifth-year senior Torrie Smith (Kokomo, Ind./Western) tied for 133rd with an 83-93—176.  
  • Honigford has been Medalist 22 times in 47 career tournaments. 
  • Burger has one Medalist honor to her credit.
  • The tournament consists of 18 holes each day Tuesday-Friday.
  • The tournament was cut to the top 15 teams after the second round on Wednesday. The top six individuals not on teams that made the cut also advanced to the two final rounds.
  • Wednesday's second round was halted due to lightning late in the morning, then stopped again in the afternoon due to a thunderstorm. Play was suspended due to darkness and resumed at 7 am. The round was halted a third time due to another storm Thursday morning before finishing just after noon.
  • The third round began with a shotgun start at 1:15 pm.
  • Ohio Northern received an automatic bid to the NCAA III Championships by winning the OAC Championships crown by five strokes over Otterbein.
  • The Polar Bears grabbed the OAC title for the third time in program history and the second time in the past four seasons
  • Head coach Chad Bucci is 444-283-2 in his 11th season at the helm of the ONU women's golf team, a winning percentage of .610.

Up Next

  • Season Complete.