Record-setting US wins for English students

England international Jodi Ewart and Channel Islander Olivia Jordan Higgins have both won their conference championships on the US women’s college circuit – in record-setting style.

Jodi, (Catterick) ranked sixth in US college golf before the event, won the Mountain West Conference title for the third time at Seaside, California, with a one-over par total for 54 holes (71 75 71).

It was her fifth victory on the college circuit and her total sets a new record at the University of New Mexico, where she is a final-year student. She also set a conference record for recording the largest winning margin of four shots.

What’s more, Jodi became the first student-athlete to be named MWC Player of the Year for the fourth time.

She said: "It means a lot to me to set the school record for championships and it's also a huge honour to be named MWC player of the year again because there have been so many great players in the past four years."

Jodi’s result helped her university to win the team title and qualify for the NCAA championship finals in May. After that, the 22-year-old will turn professional and play on the US Futures Tour.

Olivia Jordan Higgins (Royal Jersey, pictured left) won the Big South Conference championship at Patriot, South Carolina, with a one-under par total (70 75 70) which set a new scoring record.

The Charleston Southern student was a shot off the pace at the start of the final round and secured the win with a two-under score in tough conditions. She was one of only two players to break par in the round.

This is Olivia’s first victory in US women’s college golf although she was previously the championship runner-up in both 2008 and 2009. Her play also helped her team to victory and to also qualify for the NCAA finals.

A third English student has claimed her first victory in US college golf. Leighton Buzzard’s Lizi Sweetnam won the Central Christian College tournament at Turkey Creek, Kansas. Her team from Seminole State College also won their event. Lizi, who is in her first year at university, had four top ten finishes last term.

Elsewhere, Hannah Burke (Mid-Herts) a senior-year student at Baylor University, Texas, finished fourth in a field of 89 players at the Baylor Spring Invitational. She was four shots behind the winner.