East Lake Cup brings NCAA match-play contenders to Atlanta
ATLANTA — For the first time since their national run this spring, Eastern Michigan University's women's golf team returns to match-play competition at East Lake Golf Club, one of the city's most storied courses. The Eagles are among four teams set to play in the 12th East Lake Cup, Oct. 26-28, a three-day event that will start with an 18-hole stroke-play round followed by two rounds of match play.
The format and the opponent list signal high-stakes golf in Atlanta this week: Eastern Michigan will take on Arkansas, Oklahoma State and USC, all programs that advanced to match play at the 2026 NCAA Championships.
"The Eagles will face Arkansas, Oklahoma State, and USC."
The East Lake Cup places a spotlight on both individual performers and team depth. Eastern Michigan arrives off a landmark spring in which the program made its national match-play debut and reached the semifinals. That showing remains the benchmark for a program that is still establishing a profile on the national scene.
Who’s playing for Eastern Michigan
Coach Josh Brewer will lean on an experienced lineup that produced notable results across the season. The roster set to compete at East Lake includes:
- Savannah de Bock (Y-4) — 72.0 scoring average; medalist at the 2026 Leadership & Golf event.
- Laura Gorgees Baeta (Y-1) — 74.2 average; posted a career-high tie for 19th at the Rainbow Wahine Invitational.
- Constanza Quiroga (Y-2) — 72.8 average; tied for 17th in her EMU debut at the Leadership & Golf Invitational.
- Baiyok Sukterm (Y-4) — 71.3 average; finished third at the Leadership & Golf Invitational.
- Karen Tsuru (Y-4) — 71.4 average; tied for sixth at the Rainbow Wahine Invitational.
| Player | Year | Scoring Avg. | Notable Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Savannah de Bock | Y-4 | 72.0 | Medalist, Leadership & Golf (2026) |
| Laura Gorgees Baeta | Y-1 | 74.2 | T19, Rainbow Wahine |
| Constanza Quiroga | Y-2 | 72.8 | T17, EMU debut |
| Baiyok Sukterm | Y-4 | 71.3 | 3rd, Leadership & Golf |
| Karen Tsuru | Y-4 | 71.4 | T6, Rainbow Wahine |
Those individual numbers underscore Eastern Michigan's balance. The Eagles combined to post a program-record 21-under 843 at the Golfweek Red Sky Classic in September, breaking the previous team mark by six strokes. The final round of that event was a tournament-best 16-under 272, a sign of the kind of firepower the team can bring to a tough layout like East Lake.
Local implications and what to watch
East Lake is not just a challenging municipal-style course; it is a centerpiece of Atlanta's golfing identity. Events at that venue draw attention from area clubs, junior programs and fans who track collegiate competition closely, providing a stage for programs such as Eastern Michigan to measure themselves against established powers.
For Atlanta spectators, there are several storylines to follow over the three days: whether Eastern Michigan can translate stroke-play prowess to head-to-head match play, how their top scorers perform under the pressure of elimination rounds, and how the quartet of national match-play qualifiers stacks up against one another on a course that has seen pros and college stars alike.
Eastern Michigan's participation also highlights the growing geographic reach of high-level collegiate golf, bringing teams from the Midwest and West to a historic Atlanta venue. For the Eagles, the East Lake Cup is both a competitive test and an opportunity to build on the momentum of a breakthrough season.
Play begins Oct. 26 and runs through Oct. 28. Fans interested in following the action should check tournament and team channels for pairings and results as the event progresses.
