NC State
Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invitational
Women’s Golf Knocks Off Four Top 25 Squads with Third Place Finish in Chapel Hill
10/19/2025 6:35:00 PM | Women's Golf
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The NC State women's golf team earned its third lowest 54-hole team score in school history after placing third at the 2025 Ruth's Chris Tar Heel Invitational. The Pack shot an 11-over 851 (275-287-289), and its third-place finish was good enough to beat four top 25 squads, including No. 1 Wake Forest and No. 7 South Carolina.
Four Pack players finished inside the top 20, led by Marie Eline Madsen's 3-under 207 to place third and freshman Lindsay McGrath's 3-over 213 to tie for eighth. Vania Simont tied for 14th with a 5-over 215 and freshman Ellie Hildreth tied for 17th with a 6-over 216.
NC State logged the second best par 5s average (4.78), second most birdies (45) and third best par 3s average (3.09) in the field.
Round 1
The team broke the 18-hole team tournament school record on day one of the Ruth's Chris Tar Heel Invitational, shooting a 5-under 275. The 275 topped the previous record of 278 the Pack achieved three times, at the 2023 Cougar Classic and twice at the 2023 ICON Invitational. The Pack had a five-shot lead after the round.
Madsen led the way with a 3-under 67 and Hildreth was tied for second with a 2-under 68. Hildreth's 68 marked a career-low 18-hole score and her first round in the 60s. Simont and McGrath were both solid for the Pack, shooting an even-par 70.
Lea Ludwig shot a 5-over 75 and was in 51st, while Elizabeth Sullivan, who played as an individual, shot an 11-over 81 to stand in 77th.
Round 2
NC State dropped one spot in the standings after the second round, shooting a 7-over 287. Madsen and McGrath both finished with an even-par 73. Madsen was two-over par going into her last three holes, but picked up back-to-back birdies on 16 and 17 to finish even. Simont logged a 3-over 73 and Hildreth followed with a 4-over 74, highlighted by a birdie on 18. Ludwig shot a 7-over 77 and Sullivan shot an 8-over 78.
Round 3/Final
NC State endured tough winds throughout the entire round on Sunday, especially strong wins through the back nine, but fought tough with a 9-over 289, the third lowest score in that round.
Madsen led the way with an even-par 70 and finished in third place for her third top five finish in as many tournaments this season and her eighth top five showing in her young career. She finished with a 3-under 207 (67-70-70), logging par or better in all three rounds. Madsen also logged the third best par 5s average (4.56) and sixth best par 4s average (4.03) in the field.
McGrath logged a 3-over 73 and earned a career best finish in her young career with a 3-over 213 (70-70-73) to tie for eighth. The freshman duo of McGrath and Hildreth logged 11 birdies apiece, tied for the second most in the tournament.
Simont followed to tie for 14th in the field with a 5-over 215 (70-73-72). The senior's 2-over 72 was highlighted by four birdies, including three consecutive holes from 7-9. She tied with Hildreth for the fourth best par 5s average in the field at 4.67. Hildreth picked up her best career finish in her young career, logging a 6-over 216 (68-74-74).
Ludwig finished the tournament in a tie for 72nd with a 24-over 234 (75-77-82) and Sullivan logged a 29-over 239 (81-78-80) to place 75th.
Individual Scores
3 - Marie Eline Madsen: 67-70-70=207 (-3)
T8 - Lindsay McGrath: 70-70-73=213 (+3)
T14 - Vania Simont: 70-73-72=215 (+5)
T17 - Ellie Hildreth: 68-74-74=216 (+6)
T72 - Lea Ludwig: 75-77-82=234 (+24)
75 - Elizabeth Sullivan *: 81-78-80=239 (+29)
Team Scores
1 - No. 16 Auburn: 281-274-280=835 (-5)
2 - No. 17 Duke: 282-285-283=850 (+10)
3 - No. 59 NC State: 275-287-289=851 (+11)
4 - No. 45 Virginia Tech: 283-281-296=860 (+20)
5 - No. 7 South Carolina: 287-281-294=862 (+22)
6 - No. 21 North Carolina - 283-292-289=864 (+24)
7 - No. 20 Kentucky: 290-288-297=875 (+35)
8 - No. 53 Purdue: 282-302-293=877 (+37)
9 - No. 1 Wake Forest: 296-284-298 (+38)
10 - No. 34 Michigan: 288-293-300=881 (+41)
11 - UNCW: 298-293-305=896 (+56)
12 - Louisville: 289-298-310=897 (+57)
T13 - Miami: 304-297-301=902 (+62)
T13 - FIU: 305-296-301=902 (+62)
15 - Rollins - 310-314-311=935 (+95)
* - played as an individual
Upcoming
The Pack will play at the Landfall Tradition hosted by UNCW from Oct. 24-26 at Landfall Country Club to wrap up the fall season.
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Players Mentioned
