GOLF Channel Notable Quotes
NCAA Women’s Golf Championships
Championship Match
Blessings Golf Club, Fayetteville, Ark.
Wednesday, May 22, 2019
**Duke defeated Wake Forest 3-2 to win its third NCAA Division I Women’s Golf National Championship
**Fourth time in the past five years extra holes have been needed to determine the NCAA Women’s NCAA Golf Team National Championship.
**First time three matches have reached extra holes in a single match at the NCAA D1 Women’s Golf Championships
** Duke wins its 7th women’s golf team national championship.
Championship Match Results
Siyun Liu (Wake Forest) 1up (20 holes) Virginia Elena Carta (Duke)
Jaravee Boonchant (Duke) 1up (19 holes) Jennifer Kupcho (Wake Forest)
Miranda Wang (Duke) 1up (20 holes) Letizia Bagnoli (Wake Forest)
Emilia Migliaccio (Wake Forest) 1up Gina Kim (Duke)
Ana Belac (Duke) 5&3 Vanessa Knecht (Wake Forest)
Duke defeated Wake Forest (Miranda Wang defeated Letizia Bagnoli on the 20th hole for the clinching point) to win the 2019 NCAA Women’s Golf Team National Championship
Bob Papa – “The board was colored through nine all in Wake Forest’s way but they never lost confidence or faith.”
Stupples – “They didn’t give up. They kept fighting and pulled together as a team and you are seeing those results.”
Byrum – “35 years of experience and six national championships, at the time, had to come into play today and it did. Preaching patience, grind, never give up that is the coaching job that he did all year long and especially today. That is why they are holding the trophy. They never gave up on it, never got down and fought until they finally got it done.
Karen Stupples – “You can cut the air with a knife out there. It is so intense.”
Curt Byrum – “It is amazing how momentum shifts in these team matches.”
Duke’s Miranda Wang speaking with GOLF Channel’s Billy Ray Brown after winning the clinching putt
Miranda Wang – “I would just like to say that I am very thankful to be on this team. Honestly I was not thinking about winning this hole, I was thinking about, ‘I am very grateful to be on this team.’ I did not do very well in my first two matches but my teammates got me through a lot, so I was like, ‘I’m going to do this for my team.’’
Wang – “I think both my teammates and I – all of us know that this course needs a lot of patience and we have been through a lot, honestly, in these few days and we know what we need to do, and if you have patience, things will turn around really quick.”
Duke Head Coach Dan Brooks speaking with GOLF Channel’s Lisa Cornwell following the championship
Dan Brooks – “I was with Miranda the whole time today and almost the whole day and she was down too, and here she is doing this. That gives you an idea, the whole team is that way. We had a really gritty team this year. It was fantastic.”
Brooks – “This course is loaded with key holes. Anything can happen on this course. It’s a great course. If you keep you cool and stay calm and play. Miranda just waited. She was playing a really tough opponent and she kept playing the golf course. Didn’t take any chances and just kept playing and it finally fell in her favor.”
Dan Brooks speaking with GOLF Channel’s Steve Burkowski during the trophy ceremony
Dan Brooks – “On the golf course, off the golf course, in our practices, in our training, in the classroom, taking care of each other, caring for each other, caring about what we do, passion, commitment, extra practice, hard work, right down the list.”
Brooks – “They are all special, wonderful. They are all a different group of people. They are all unique. Each is unique. This group was tight. They were a really united team. There is a lot of great humor. A lot of contribution from everybody, and that makes for a lot of fun.”
Brooks – “It is hard to leave one of these matches, especially if somebody starts to do well. Miranda and I have had a good thing going in the last say two months of so where she has made some changes in the way she thinks out here, and I thought I could possibly affect the change by going with her so I spent the rest of the day with Miranda and she made her way back. I felt like if I could get that win, you’ve got some heavy hitters playing against each other that could swing one way or another. If I could lock in on one where I could have an effect, both John Whithaus [assistant coach] and I did that. We just tried to lock in and be most useful that we can be to the team. A lot of times that is leaving them alone, and other times that is spending time with somebody.”
Duke’s Jaravee Boonchant with GOLF Channel’s Kay Cockerill following the championship
Jaravee Boonchant – “This golf course required a lot of patience. Just being patient and knowing our hard work was going to pay off. So we kept doing what we were doing.”
Boonchant – “It means a lot. It was an amazing opportunity and experience. We have been working hard the whole year and finally it has paid off. It is amazing. Unreal.”
Wake Forest’s Jennifer Kupcho speaking with GOLF Channel’s Steve Burkowski following the championship
Jennifer Kupcho – “Obviously disappointment. There are no words to describe it. After I lost my sophomore year, it feels the same way losing. The only difference is my team is here with me and it is the end of my college career. It is hard to swallow but I know that I’ve gotten a bunch of texts and I have a big professional career ahead of me and it starts next week. I have a quick turnaround and we’ll see what happens.”
Kupcho – “They are amazing. It is hard. They are all so great and we are a big family. I know I’ll miss them and they will miss me and there is nothing else you can say to that.”
Wake Forest head coach Kim Lewellen speaking with GOLF Channel’s Billy Ray Brown
Kim Lewellen – “I knew this team was special the moment I went into the office for the first time not knowing any of these young ladies and they embraced me as their coach. We wanted to be on this stage and compete and I tell you what. It was an outstanding match. All of the matches, playing Duke, the came out on top by I am really proud of these ladies. We will have another chance at it.”
-NBC Sports Group-