OSU’s Saithip, Gilcrease tied at top of Charles Schwab Challenge
Fort Worth, Texas – Oklahoma State’s women’s golf team sits in a tie for second place after the first day of action at the Charles Schwab Women’s Collegiate Challenge.
The Cowgirls sit in a tie for second with Texas A&M at 574 after posting a pair of 287 team totals to finish the day three strokes behind first place Wake Forest. The Pokes led the field in birdies with 33 on the day, three more than Wake Forest. They will go for their first team championship of the year after finishing runner-up at the Dale McNamara Invitational.
Thitaporn Saithip and Grace Kilcrease led the Cowgirls, with both posting 3-under totals and standing in a tie for first with Texas A&M’s Vanessa Borovilos.
Kilcrease started with an exquisite 66 in round one, her fourth in the 60s this fall and her sixth under par in just 13 rounds of golf. She followed with a 73.
On the day, Kilcrease slotted in nine birdies, tied for the most by a golfer on the day. She is going after her second individual title of the season, having won the Carmel Cup back in early September.
Saithip is having one of the best tournaments of her career, with her highest finish being fifth at the Dale McNamara Invitational. Saithip played consistently, carding seven birdies on the day. She posted a 69 in round one, her low round for the season, and a 70 in round two.
Ellie Bushnell finished at 6-over for the day, carding an eagle on the par-5 ninth hole and posting scores of 75 and 73. Playing in her third collegiate tourney, Tarapath Panya carded seven birdies on the day and carded scores of 77 and 72.
Fellow freshman, Lucy Darr competed as an individual and posted a 6-over day with a 75 and a 73 in rounds one and two, respectively.
The University of Oklahoma is in eighth place and the University of Tulsa in ninth in the 11-team field.
For OU, Gracie Mayo is 25th at 6 over while Savannah Barber, Reagan Chaney and MaKayla Tyrrell are all tied for 31st at 8 over.
For Tulsa Lovisa Gunnar and Sydney Seigel lead the Tulsa golfers in 19th and 20th heading into Tuesday’s final round. Gunnar shot a +3 (74) in the first round and followed with a 1-over 72 leap up in the standings. Seigel shot 2-over (73) in her opening 18 holes before a 3-over (74) round. She carded seven birdies in her 36 holes, including three-straight in the second round on 14, 15 and 16. Gunnar scattered five birdies throughout her round.
Play concludes with the final 18 holes starting at 8:30 a.m. tomorrow.