Courtesy: Dalton State (Ga.) Athletics
Courtesy: Dalton State (Ga.) Athletics

Dalton State's Sara Burger Claims NAIA Women's Golfer of the Week, Winning Carey Collegiate

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Dalton State (Ga.) junior Sara Burger won the Carey Collegiate Classic, the only golfer to finish even-par or better in the event, leading to Oct. 1's NAIA Women's Golfer of the Week award.

Burger edged teammate Jia Kataria by two strokes to claim the event, leading the field in par-4 scoring at 3-under for the week, while also ranking in the top five individually in birdies, with 10, and pars, with 35. She was 2-under par through 36 holes, balancing two first-round bogeys with two birdies in the opening 18, and in her second round, Burger was 2-under, shooting 70 after erasing three bogeys with five birdies. 

In that second round, Burger played her last six holes in 2-under par, repeating a 2-under performance on her final six holes in the last round of the event, where she was 2-over par, 74, but even on the back nine. Kataria had cut Burger's lead to one stroke through 13 holes in the final round, making Burger's steady closing performance pivotal to claiming the win. 

Dalton State was second, as a team, behind No. 1 Keiser (Fla.) by seven strokes. The Roadrunners are back in action Oct. 20-21, hosting the Roadrunner Women's Invitational at Dalton Golf & Country Club.

NAIA Women’s Golfers of the Week are named weekly, on Wednesdays at NAIA.org, through Oct. 22. The award breaks for the winter and returns March 4, weekly, through April 22.

 

Championship Information

women's golf

31ST ANNUAL
WOMEN'S GOLF

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
May 19-22, 2026
Eagle Crest Golf Club
Ypsilanti, Michigan