Michigan State University Athletics
Friday, October 16
Finley Golf Club (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
All Day
Michigan State University
at
Ruth's Chris Tar Heel Invitational
Photo by: Andy Mead
Women’s Golf Returns to North Carolina for the Tar Heel Invitational
10/15/2026 5:05:00 PM | Women's Golf
East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State's women's golf team is back in action this weekend, playing in the Tar Heel Invitational at the Finley Golf Course, in Chapel Hill, N.C.
The three-day, 54-hole tournament tees off on Friday, Oct. 16 and continues through Sunday, Oct. 18.
The Spartans tee off on Friday morning at 8:15 a.m., playing alongside NC State and Virginia Tech. The teams will play on the par-71, 6143-yard course at the Finley Golf Club on the UNC campus.
THE LINEUP
1. Keeley Marx
2. Ana Sofia Murcia
3. Payton Haugen
4. Grace Vetter
5. Lucia Valderrama
IND. Angelina Zhang
LIVE STATS
Live stats will be available through Clippd.
THE TAR HEEL INVITATIONAL FIELD
MSU is one of 14 teams in the field, which also includes host North Carolina, Boston College, Charlotte, 15th-ranked Duke, third-ranked Florida, JMU, 13th-ranked Miami, NC State, Princeton, Rollins, Southern Miss, Virginia Tech and top-ranked Wake Forest.
LAST TIME OUT
Michigan State finished third place among 15 teams at the Mary Fossum Invitational on Sept. 21 at Forest Akers Golf Course. The tournament was originally scheduled for three rounds and 54 holes but was shortened to two rounds following inclement weather over the weekend and course conditions on Sunday morning. Delaware won the tournament, shooting a 23-over par 599 (298-301), four shots ahead of second-place Central Michigan (27-over par 603). Michigan State finished in third place at 32-over par 608 (301-307), with Rutgers and Bowling Green tied for fourth place at 33-over par 609. The Spartans had two golfers finish among the top-10, led by senior Keeley Marx, who tied for sixth place at 6-over par 150 (75-75). Sophomore Sarisa Pojanalai tied for eighth place at 7-over par 151 (74-77). Junior Grace Vetter tied for 21st place at 11-over par 155 (73-82), while senior Ana Sofia Murcia (79-79) and sophomore Lucia Valderrama (82-76) tied for 38th place with scores of 14-over par 158, respectively. Playing as an individual, freshman Payton Haugen shot a 4-over par 76 on Monday and tied for 52nd place at 16-over par 160 (84-76).
TAR HEEL INVITATIONAL HISTORY
Michigan State has a strong history at the Tar Heel Invitational as the Spartans are making their 16th appearance in the last 17 years of the tournament. The Spartans have won the event twice, most recently in 2019, when Valery Plata took home medalist honors with an 11-under par 205, the second-lowest 54-hole score in program history. MSU also won the event in 2009. In 2011, Caroline Powers-Ellis set a then school-record 8-under-par 208 to finish second, while Sarah Burnham finished as the runner-up in 2015. Paz Marfa Sans set a tournament record with an 8-under-par 64 in the second round in 2017. MSU finished in a tie for second place in 2024.
The three-day, 54-hole tournament tees off on Friday, Oct. 16 and continues through Sunday, Oct. 18.
The Spartans tee off on Friday morning at 8:15 a.m., playing alongside NC State and Virginia Tech. The teams will play on the par-71, 6143-yard course at the Finley Golf Club on the UNC campus.
THE LINEUP
1. Keeley Marx
2. Ana Sofia Murcia
3. Payton Haugen
4. Grace Vetter
5. Lucia Valderrama
IND. Angelina Zhang
LIVE STATS
Live stats will be available through Clippd.
THE TAR HEEL INVITATIONAL FIELD
MSU is one of 14 teams in the field, which also includes host North Carolina, Boston College, Charlotte, 15th-ranked Duke, third-ranked Florida, JMU, 13th-ranked Miami, NC State, Princeton, Rollins, Southern Miss, Virginia Tech and top-ranked Wake Forest.
LAST TIME OUT
Michigan State finished third place among 15 teams at the Mary Fossum Invitational on Sept. 21 at Forest Akers Golf Course. The tournament was originally scheduled for three rounds and 54 holes but was shortened to two rounds following inclement weather over the weekend and course conditions on Sunday morning. Delaware won the tournament, shooting a 23-over par 599 (298-301), four shots ahead of second-place Central Michigan (27-over par 603). Michigan State finished in third place at 32-over par 608 (301-307), with Rutgers and Bowling Green tied for fourth place at 33-over par 609. The Spartans had two golfers finish among the top-10, led by senior Keeley Marx, who tied for sixth place at 6-over par 150 (75-75). Sophomore Sarisa Pojanalai tied for eighth place at 7-over par 151 (74-77). Junior Grace Vetter tied for 21st place at 11-over par 155 (73-82), while senior Ana Sofia Murcia (79-79) and sophomore Lucia Valderrama (82-76) tied for 38th place with scores of 14-over par 158, respectively. Playing as an individual, freshman Payton Haugen shot a 4-over par 76 on Monday and tied for 52nd place at 16-over par 160 (84-76).
TAR HEEL INVITATIONAL HISTORY
Michigan State has a strong history at the Tar Heel Invitational as the Spartans are making their 16th appearance in the last 17 years of the tournament. The Spartans have won the event twice, most recently in 2019, when Valery Plata took home medalist honors with an 11-under par 205, the second-lowest 54-hole score in program history. MSU also won the event in 2009. In 2011, Caroline Powers-Ellis set a then school-record 8-under-par 208 to finish second, while Sarah Burnham finished as the runner-up in 2015. Paz Marfa Sans set a tournament record with an 8-under-par 64 in the second round in 2017. MSU finished in a tie for second place in 2024.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
Tuesday, May 20
Monday, February 10
Tuesday, October 01
Tuesday, May 21