Georgetown’s Jacqueline Giles was edged by one shot for the Ontario University Athletics individual title, but still led the Guelph Gryphons to their best-ever team finish at the women’s golf championship.
The fourth-year molecular biology and genetics student took a one-shot lead into the final round at the Ambassador Golf Club in Windsor. Giles struggled early in round two with bogeys on four of the first six holes. She rebounded strongly, though, closing the front nine with three consecutive birdies and then finishing off the round with a birdie on the 18th hole for a round of 73.
Giles was seeking her second OUA title after becoming the first Guelph golfer to win the individual title in 2021. However, the University of Toronto’s Anna Foley posted the low round of the tournament, a 71 on Sunday to edge Giles by one stroke with a two-day total of 148.
Giles was named an OUA first-team all star for the third time in four years. She has finished in the top 10 in each of her four seasons at Guelph, including three top-three finishes. After winning in her rookie season, she was third in 2022 and tied for ninth last year.
It was even closer in the team competition where Guelph finished in a tie for first with the University of Toronto.
Guelph, which has yet to win a women’s golf title, lost to Toronto in a tiebreaker, but the second-place finish was still the best in team history, topping their third-place finish in 2011.
Both Giles and her Guelph teammates will compete at the Canadian university championships in June.
