Breaking down the Blessings Collegiate Invitational with BYU women's golf

BYU women’s golf is set to compete at the sixth annual Blessings Collegiate Invitational from Monday to Wednesday in Fayetteville, Ark.

This tournament is different from most of the events the Cougars will play in this season, as it is a mixed competition with men’s teams from around the country.

The format is unique: Men’s and women’s teams play the same course at the same time. Each school will have all five members of its team playing the same holes together.

There will be 18 holes of competition each day with tee times starting at 7:45 a.m. On Wednesday, a men’s team, a women’s team, an individual male, an individual female, a combined team and a combined individual best-ball will be crowned champions.

Participating teams include Arkansas, Kansas State, Kent State, Louisville, Maryland, Mississippi State, Missouri, UNC Greensboro and Washington State.

Notable players to watch include seniors Whitney Banz and Lily McCauley and standout junior María José “MJ” Barragán.

Banz is rising in the ranks after earning medalist honors at a women’s amateur tournament this summer. Banz’s lowest 54-hole score is 223, finishing 7-over in the 2025 FAU Paradise Invitational.

McCauley comes in with a 216 as her best 54-hole score, which is even par. Her best finish is sixth at the 2023 Marilynn Smith Invitational with a 218 (73-68-77).

Barragán, arguably the best player on BYU’s squad, has four top-five finishes and a USF Invitational victory from last season.

The Cougars are looking to bounce back after inclement weather halted play at the Ptarmigan Ram Classic on Sept. 22 in Fort Collins, Colorado.  Before the cancellation, McCauley was 3-over and tied for 21^st, while Banz and Barragán were 5-over and tied for 37^th.