Big East golf tournament tees off on Callawassie Island

Golfers took to the links Thursday on Callawassie Island for the practice round of The Big East Women’s Golf Championship.

This is the second year that Callawassie Island has hosted the tournament, which is scheduled for 54 holes of collegiate play from Friday through Sunday.

This weekend’s champion will earn an automatic invitation to the NCAA Championship. Both team and individual champions will be crowned on Callawassie Island, while the Big East Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year and Coaching Staff of the Year will be announced following the tournament.

In 2016, the Seton Hall Pirates took home the title of Big East Women’s Golf Champions, finishing 12 strokes ahead of second-place Georgetown. Seton Hall has held this title for the past three years.

While the Big East is hosting teams from Seton Hall, Georgetown, Xavier, Butler, St. John’s and Creighton for the championship this weekend, it is also hosting one of South Carolina’s very own. Pendleton Bogache, a sophomore at Georgetown University, is from Myrtle Beach.

The women practiced on Callawassie Island’s Magnolia course. At 3,564 yards, this is the longest of Callawassie Island’s three nines.

“The golf course is in great shape and a fair test of golf with some tight fairways and undulated greens. There are several holes that can tempt you to ‘go for it’ instead of lay-up, which makes that character of this course very interesting,” said Sara Doell, head women’s golf coach at Seton Hall University.

The first round of play on Friday will begin with Butler, St. John’s and Creighton teeing off at 8 a.m. on the Dogwood Course. One round of action will take place beginning daily at 8 a.m. The tournament is free and open to the public.

For more information, visit www.CallawassieIsland.com.

This story was originally published April 20, 2017 at 6:28 PM with the headline "Big East golf tournament tees off on Callawassie Island."