Goodwin in middle of pack at NCAA Division II Championship

Photo: Kate Goodwin hits from a fairway on Wednesday during the first round of the NCAA Division II Championship at Bay Oaks Country Club in Houston.

HOUSTON (May 16, 2018) – After one round of the NCAA Division II Championship, Oklahoma Christian’s Kate Goodwin finds herself about where she was after the first round of the Division II West Super Regional – in the middle of the pack.

Goodwin, who went on to win the Super Regional title last week in Durango, Colo., began the national tournament by shooting a 5-over-par 77 on Wednesday at Bay Oaks Country Club. That score put her in a tie for 38th in the 72-woman field, which consists of 12 teams and 12 individuals, including Goodwin.

The junior from Tulsa was eight shots behind the co-leaders Casey Wild of Tarleton State (Texas) and Kiira Riihijarvi of Tampa (Fla.), who each shot a 3-under 69 on the 6,190-yard course. But Goodwin was six shots out of the lead one round into the Super Regional, so she already knows she’s got plenty of time to make her move.

Goodwin – playing in the national tournament for the first time – began her round on No. 10, playing first the side of the course with water lining most of the fairways. A strong tee shot on the par-3 No. 12 led to a birdie, but that proved to be the only one of her round. She had four bogeys and one double bogey, which came on the par-4 No. 18.

She was 3-over after the turn and played the front nine – with mostly tree-lined fairways – in 2-over.

In the team race, Indianapolis (Ind.) posted a score of 286 for a four-shot lead over Dallas Baptist (Texas).

For the second round, Goodwin will again be grouped with Helle Leed of Southern Arkansas and Paloma Vaccaro of West Florida. The threesome will tee off at 10:10 a.m. from No. 1.

The 72-hole tournament will run through Saturday.