NSU second, UCO third early in Central Super Regional at Hillcrest CC
BARTLESVILLE, Okla. – The Northeastern State women’s golf team sits in second place after Sunday’s opening round of the 2015 NCAA Central Super Regional Championship. The tournament is being contested at the par-72, 5,838-yard Hillcrest Country Club.
The RiverHawks posted a 30-over-par 318 in Sunday’s opening round and trail leader Augustana by two strokes. Central Oklahoma sits in third with a 31-over 319, while Concordia St. Paul is in fourth after carding a 37-over 325.
Sophomore Baylee Price, who finished fourth in the 2014 Super Regional, leads the way for the RiverHawks after carding a 3-over 75. She is in second place after one round of play, one stroke off the lead. Tavia Rutheford, playing as an individual from the University of Souix Falls, is in first place.
Junior Kayla Schroeder, coming off her first career top-10 finish at the MIAA Championships, sits in eighth place after posting a 6-over 78. Senior Arizona Chin is in a tie for 19th after shooting a 10-over 82, while junior Charter Lawson carded an 11-over 83 and is tied for 23rd. Freshman Alexis Armon is tied for 44th after posting a 16-over 88.
The RiverHawks begin teeing off at 10:30 a.m. Monday.
Central Oklahoma had just one player break 80. Freshman sensation Marla Souvannasing shot a 76 as the Bronchos finished with a 319 in windy conditions at Hillcrest Country Club, a 90-year-old creation of famed golf designer Perry Maxwell that took a toll with its tight fairways and fast, undulating greens.
Second-round play begins at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, with UCO’s first player teeing off at 10:30. The three-day, 54-hole event concludes Tuesday, with the top three teams advancing to the Championship Finals along with three individuals not on a qualifying team.
“We got off to a slow start again and really had to battle back,” head coach Michael Bond said. “This is a great golf course and it was definitely tough out there today, but we’re in a good position and there’s still a lot of golf to be played.”
Souvannasing is tied for third in the individual standings and her 76 was one of just 12 rounds in the 70s in the 49-player field. The Bronchos also got 80s from Bethany Darrough and Katie Bensch, while Lindsey Bensch and Daniela Martinez both shot 83.
Souvannasing was the only UCO player to get off to a good start as she parred the first five holes before following a sixth-hole bogey with a birdie on the par-5 seventh en route to making the turn at even-par 36.
The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Player of the Year made routine pars the first two holes on the back side before running into trouble, three-putting once and hitting into two bunkers in bogeying four of the next five holes. Souvannasing rebounded strong with routine pars on the final two holes to cap off a back-nine 40.
Darrough bogeyed the first three holes before steadying herself to make the turn at four-over 40. She made a nice up-and-down par save on No. 11 to stay at four-over, but bogeyed three of the next four holes in coming back with another 40.
Katie Bensch had six front-nine bogeys in making the turn at 42 before rallying with a back-nine 38 on the strength of birdies at Nos. 11 and 13.
2015 NCAA CENTRAL SUPER REGIONAL – First Round Results
May 5, 2015 at Bartlesville, Okla.
(par-72, 5,838-yard Hillcrest Country Club)
Team Results
1. Augustana 316 (+28)
2. Northeastern State 318 (+30)
3. Central Oklahoma 319 (+31)
4. Concordia St. Paul 325 (+37)
5. Lindenwood 328 (+40)
6. Henderson State 329 (+41)
7. Arkansas Tech 332 (+44)
8. SW Oklahoma State 333 (+45)
9. Minnesota State 336 (+48)
Top-5 Individuals
1. Tavia Rutherford (Sioux Falls)* 74 (+2)
2. Baylee Price (Northeastern State) 75 (+3)
T3. Jordan Bormann (Augustana) 76 (+4)
T3. Marla Souvannasing (Central Oklahoma) 76 (+4)
T3. Sierra Langlie (Augustana) 76 (+4)
*Playing as an individual