INDIANAPOLIS – Starting off the spring season just as she did in the fall, Maryville senior Kayla Eckelkamp (Washington, Mo./St. Francis Borgia) has been named the Great Lakes Valley Conference Women’s Golfer of the Month for March, it was announced today by the league office.
Eckelkamp captured medalist honors in each of the three events she entered last month, averaging 75.67 over six rounds.
In her first event at the Early Bird Tournament at Paradise Point Golf Course in Smithville, Mo., Eckelkamp carded rounds of 82 and 79 to finish first at 161. Her efforts helped lead Maryville (351-341--692) to a third-place finish in the seven-team field.
She then returned home to compete in the Maryville/Subway Spring Invitational at Aberdeen Golf Club in Eureka, Mo. There she finished as medalist with a 36-hole score of 145 (73-72), leading her Saints (337-338—675) to another third-place finish.
In her final event of the month, Eckelkamp was forced to compete as an individual at the Washington University Invitational as Maryville could not field a full team due to illness. Despite the challenge, Eckelkamp made it a perfect 3-for-3 in the spring season. Eckelkamp (72-76—148) actually tied for first with Washington University’s Hannah Buck and Drury’s Morgan Lamberson (73-75—148) at Gateway National Links in Madison, Ill., but was declared the winner by virtue of a scorecard playoff.
On the year, Eckelkamp ranks fourth in Division II with a 74.81 average through 16 rounds.
Other top performers during the month of March included Drury’s Lauren Michael and Lewis’ Leila Marquet.