Goodwin overcomes early struggles in second round

Photo: Kate Goodwin during the second round of the NCAA Division II Championship at Bay Oaks Country Club in Houston.

The junior from Tulsa posted a 7-over-par 79 that could have gone off the tracks after consecutive double bogeys, but she buckled down and closed her round on the 6,103-yard course with eight straight pars.

Goodwin’s two-round score of 156 (12-over) left her in a tie for 52nd in the 72-woman field. The individual leader, Kylie Raines of Indianapolis (Ind.), is at 3-under 141.

Starting her round on the No. 1 tee, Goodwin – who qualified for the national tournament after winning the Division II West Super Regional individual title – was 3-over before a birdie on the par-5 No. 7. She bogeyed No. 8 before the double bogeys at No. 9 and No. 10, then settled down.

Indianapolis began pulling away from the rest of the 12-team field and has a 15-shot lead over second-place Nova Southeastern (Fla.) midway through the 72-hole event.

Goodwin will begin her third round at 8:35 a.m. on Friday, grouped with Helle Leed of Southern Arkansas and Olivia Sobaski of Central Missouri.