Gough makes hole-in-one as Stars take command in Kyle Blaser Invitational
OKLAHOMA CITY – Natalie Gough from Oklahoma City University stood atop the individual standings through two rounds of the Kyle Blaser Invitational propelled by a hole-in-one Monday at Gaillardia Country Club.
Oklahoma City took the team lead as Stars occupied the top five spots of the individual standings. The Stars, ranked third in NAIA women’s golf, built a 38-shot advantage.
Gough, a graduate student from Bixby, Okla., working towards a master’s in business administration, drained an ace on the par-3, 134-yard fourth hole during the first round. Gough buried her fourth hole-in-one ever with her most previous ace coming Jan. 21 during a qualifying round at No. 11 of the Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club. Gough’s tee shot with an 8 iron landed 10 feet to the right of the hole and rolled in.
“I jumped up and turned around to see if my parents saw it,” Gough said.
Gough turned in the leading score with a 71-73–144 while nailing five birdies. Gough’s teammates Logan Allen and MaKayla Tyrrell sat one shot off the lead. Allen posted a 73-72–145, while Tyrrell produced a 77-68–145.
Allen, a freshman from Las Vegas majoring in university studies, knocked in six birdies. Tyrrell, a freshman from Southlake, Texas, studying marketing, made six birdies. Tyrrell put together her season-best score during round 2.
The Stars’ Maddi Kamas and Paige Wood were knotted at fourth. Kamas, a sophomore accounting major from Kingfisher, Okla., recorded a 72-74–146 while leading the tournament with eight birdies. Wood, a sophomore broadcast journalism major from McKinney, Texas, shot a 71-75–146 while downing six birdies and an eagle. Wood sank an eagle on the par-5, 481-yard third hole during the late round.
OCU accumulated a 287-287–574 on the par-72, 5,918-yard course. Oklahoma Christian, ranked 20th in NCAA Division II, had a 305-307–612. The Stars fielded a second team which shot 329-316–645.
Oklahoma City’s Jamie Welsh, a sophomore from Coppell, Texas, majoring in cell & molecular biology, totaled a 73-80–157, and Aubrey House carded an 81-79–160. Meghan Charles added an 84-80–164, while Blaine Bruton compiled a 91-77–168.
The last round of the tournament tees off in a shotgun start 9 a.m. Tuesday.