Rebekah Gardner, a senior out of Miami, just absolutely crushed it at the Put Me In Coach Invitational on October 6, posting a 3-under for the week and taking the women’s title by six strokes over teammate Anna Behnsen. What makes that win even wilder? She hadn’t even traveled with the team for their season-opener, the Boilermaker Classic, or two other team events so far this fall. Talk about a statement!
Gardner’s Putter Bleeds Green, Proves She’s Ready
Gardner’s rounds of 73-69-71 were pure fire, and she’s giving all the credit to her short game. “This has definitely been one of the best putting tournaments I’ve had in awhile and definitely my scrambling as well,” she said, admitting her putter and scrambling picked up the slack for some missed fairways and greens. She usually nails those shots, but these misses actually showed her improvements in other parts of her game. This Miami squad is deep, the strongest it’s been in a long time, and Gardner knows it. “We push each other every single day and everyone is just so fun to be around,” she noted. That kind of environment just makes you better.
After not quite having things go her way this semester, Gardner showed up and showed out. She’s been mentally tougher and an all-around better player since 2023, saying you don’t have to hit the perfect shot every time. Assistant coach Jim Garren couldn’t agree more, noting how tough it is to crack that Hurricanes lineup. But after a summer that wasn’t her best, Gardner is on the rise. “She has all the skills to produce at this level and now she’s a collegiate winner,” Garren said. You’ve gotta hope this gives her the confidence to bust in there and make her mark, right?
Checcucci’s 65 Is the New Standard for Indiana Golf
On the men’s side, Indiana senior Neri Checcucci absolutely dominated, taking the title by five shots. The man practically owned Delaware Country Club, especially with a scorching second-round 65. “Every putt was falling in,” Checcucci said of that round, and you love to hear it. That 65 marks his lowest score in a college tournament, even if he once hit a 64 in a junior tournament way back in France.
Checcucci knew the greens were the course’s biggest defense, so he played it smart on a couple of tough holes like the 12th and the 5th, where cutting the ball is super tricky. Even after opening with a 2-over 72, and then three-putting from the fringe for a bogey on his first hole after that epic 65, he didn’t let it get to him. His coach helped him stay calm, and Checcucci knew he had birdie chances coming up on Nos. 3 and 4. He grabbed another birdie on No. 7, turned with a 1-under 34, then hung on with a 3-over 38 coming home to lock up his first college golf tournament win. “A win is a win no matter how big the field is,” he said. And yeah, “Feels pretty good” is probably an understatement!
These two just dropped some serious performances. For Gardner, this win could be the exact spark she needs to solidify her spot in a stacked Miami lineup and truly make some noise the rest of the season. And Checcucci, with his first college title under his belt and a new personal best score, has set a high bar for himself and Indiana. Let’s see if this momentum carries them forward!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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