Howey-In-The-Hills, Fla. - Freshman Katlyn Shutt cruised to medalist honors by six shots as the Youngstown State women's golf team finished second at the 2017 Horizon League Championships which concluded on Tuesday at the Mission Inn Resort's Las Colinas Golf Course.
Shutt ran away with the title while the team race featured high drama between YSU, Cleveland State, Oakland and Northern Kentucky. In the end, Cleveland State took the top spot by just three strokes over YSU.
The Penguins had the lowest round on Tuesday with a 306, but the Vikings held on by scoring a 307. CSU had a 928, YSU shot a 931, NKU was third with a 971 and Oakland wound up fourth with a 938. The Guins had three of the top eight finishers at the tournament.
It was the second consecutive year the tournament was decided by three shots, tying for the closest result in event history. For YSU it marked its sixth runner-up finish while CSU won the title for the first time in school history.
Shutt won the individual title by six shots over CSU's Rayna Oosterhius. Shutt finished with a final round 73 and had a three-day total of 217, just one-over par for the entire tournament. Oosterhius finished with a 223. Shutt becomes the fifth YSU golfer to win the individual title joining Emily Dixon (2015), Allison Mitzel (2013), Samantha Formeck (2009) and Katie Rogner (2008).
She posted the lowest three-round total in Horizon League history breaking the old mark of 221 held by Mitzel.
Shutt keyed a late YSU charge with three birdies on her final five holes. She birdied No. 14, No. 15 and No. 18 and was one-under par on her final 11 holes. She started her day with a birdie at the second hole and had a 37 on the front nine. In the tournament she had 12 birdies, 11 bogeys and one double bogey in 54 holes.
Her sister, Courtney Shutt, made a major move on the final day with an even-par 72. Through the first 11 holes, Shutt was four-under par with birdies at No. 1, No. 5, No. 8 and No. 9. She fired a 31 in her opening nine holes. Overall she tied for fourth with a three-round total of 230.
Placing eighth in her first Horizon League Tournament was freshman Reva Morris. Morris shot an 81 for her final round and finished with a three-round total of 234. Morris helped the run at the end with a birdie at the 17th.
Senior Mia Barchetti had a strong performance in her final round as a Penguin. Barchetti carded an 80 and finished with a three-round total of 250 to finish 31st. She was one-under par on her final three holes as the Guins remained in contention.
Christina Cooper had a final round 88 and finished with a 268 for the tournament.
