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After spending the last two days as a lifelong Ole Miss women’s golf team fan, what a reward it was to see the ladies win the NCAA title on Wednesday afternoon, defeating Oklahoma State in match play.
Their performance earned not only the first national title in the history of Ole Miss women’s sports, but the school’s first national title in the lifetimes of most of the people reading this. Even more, consider that the 2021 women’s golf team is responsible for 25 percent of ALL national titles in the history of Ole Miss athletics. SOMEWHAT IMPRESSIVE.
Though early on in the march to the title, smooth sailing was not the order of the day, as Oklahoma State got off to a good start. However, as the five matches progressed, Ole Miss began to flex and take control, most notably sophomore Chiara Tamburlini, who decided to go full “Tiger Woods match-play-assassinating someone who slighted him in the media” mode.
Tamburlini, who won a recent poll as the most popular Swiss person among Ole Miss fans (beating out Roger Federer, Carl Jung, and that ivory-tickling son of a gun Sigismond Thalberg), was up six holes after nine completed holes. If you’re unfamiliar with match play scoring, that big of an early lead was the equivalent of the 2015 Egg Bowl when Ole Miss led 28-3 early in the second quarter and Dak poop his pants.
Tamburlini would close out her match with five holes to play for Ole Miss’ first point. That was quickly followed by senior Kennedy Swann, ahem, DIALING ONE IN to help close out her match for point number two.
Couldn't place it better!
— Ole Miss Women’s Golf (@OleMissWGolf) May 27, 2021
Ken is in
https://t.co/BnOyxalAuf
@GolfChannel pic.twitter.com/lpdpSGw694
From there, the team only needed to win one more match to win the title. Sophomore Andrea Lignell, who won a recent poll as the most popular Swedish person among Ole Miss fans (beating out Alfred Nobel, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and that Ivan Drago son of a gun Dolph Lundgren), decided that hole number 17 was as good of a place as any to get the celebration started.
— Ole Miss Women’s Golf (@OleMissWGolf) May 27, 2021
T-SHIRTS, BANNERS, PARADES, MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS THAT ADD $50 TO MY PURCHASES, THE WORKS.
One word: #HottyToddy | #NCAAGolf pic.twitter.com/G2AzPfyW0B
— Ole Miss Women’s Golf (@OleMissWGolf) May 27, 2021
As a two-day lifelong fan, it would be impossible for and wrong of me to attempt to capture what this means to the team and coaches (you know, the people who did the work). For that, I will turn it over to senior Julia Johnson, who was credited with being a turning point for the program and was also dominating prior to the title being clinched.
Only way to describe @juliaclaireee:
— Ole Miss Women’s Golf (@OleMissWGolf) May 27, 2021
Better have your tissues handy pic.twitter.com/XSydjNVhxn
WHY IS MY SCREEN SO BLURRY AND NOSE RUNNING UNCONTROLLABLY.
And oh yes, there was ceremonial administration.
Handing out the hardware pic.twitter.com/j23Bs3GbFS
— Ole Miss Women’s Golf (@OleMissWGolf) May 27, 2021
Finally, let’s hear from the coach, who recruited these golfing wizards and pulled the right levers.
Job. Delivered.
— Ole Miss Women’s Golf (@OleMissWGolf) May 27, 2021
Hear from head coach @KoryThompson1! pic.twitter.com/KAHK69qgdB
Congratulations to McKinley Cunningham, Ellen Hume, Ellen Hutchinson-Kay, Julia Johnson, Andrea Lignell, Macy Somoskey, Smilla Sonderby, Kennedy Swann, Chiara Tamburlini, and coaches Kory Henkes and Zack Byrd. Y’all earned it and deserve every bit of praise and thanks that will be flooding your lives when you get back to Oxford.
Now, let’s get loose at the parade!
For fans unable to be at the Oxford Airport, step outside your homes/office buildings and welcome back YOUR @OleMissWGolf 2021 National Champions! Remarks will be made on the steps of City Hall.
— Ole Miss Athletics (@OleMissSports) May 27, 2021
Route from the airport to City Hall to begin around 2:45 PM CT!#HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/45NxxVkCgK