Women’s golf sets 18-hole scoring records at MountainView Collegiate
KaylaSmith, Megan Streicher And Crista Izuzquiza All shot in the 60s to lead the University of North Carolina women’s golf team to the lowest round in school history on Sunday on the final day of MountainView Collegiate at MountainView Golf Club in Tucson, Ariz.
UNC shot 12-under par 276, the lowest team total and most under par in a round in Tar Heel history (previous bests were 10-under 278 in the 2012-13 UCF Challenge and 2016-17 in the Cougar Classic).
The Tar Heels earned the second-best team result of today’s third and final round, tying Houston 17 stokes behind team champion Iowa State. The Cyclones shot 29-under 259 today and broke the 54-hole NCAA record by winning the tournament with 60-under 804.
Carolina moved up three places to 11thth in the 17-team field at 7-under par 857, shooting 289-292-276 over the three rounds. The 7-under finish and 857 total shots are both the sixth best in the history of women’s golf in Carolina.
“It was a fantastic day for us. Every time you get four under par you know you’re going to be happy for the team,” said UNC Head Coach Aimee Neff. “What I’m most excited about is that we played the standard and skill we’re capable of, which gives us momentum to go to Georgia next week and also have the NC State Match Play and ACC Championships up soon.”
Smith, a senior from Burlington, NC, hit her low of the season today at 68 to hit 12th Finished 5-under 211 (70-73-68), her best game since winning the Texas A&M “Mo” Morial in September.
Izuzquiza, a junior from Spain, recorded a career-best 2-under-214 with 72-73-69, which gave her a tie for 26th Location.
Streicher, a freshman from South Africa, tied for 41stSt after shooting 68 on the final loop for an even par 216 overall (71-77-68). It was her second consecutive tournament with a par or better finish.
Natalia Aseguinolaza (78-72-71) shot 1-under in the last two rounds for a 69-tieth at 5-over 221 and Vilde Nystrøm (76-74-72) with a tie of 75th at 6-over 222 after an even Sunday finish.
“We used our birdie opportunities today,” says Neff. “I’m encouraged and happy for our players because we have more in us. Now we have to build on today’s performances and play like this all three rounds.”
Iowa’s Karisa Chul-Ak-Sorn set the NCAA’s all-time 54-hole record with 25 under 191
set the course and the MountainView Collegiate record on Saturday with a 10-under 62 in the second round and followed that up with a 64 today to beat Ohio State’s Caley McGinty by seven.
“Iowa State really took it to the next level, breaking the 54-hole collegiate record that Stanford set last year by 10 shots,” says Neff. “I’m happy for them and it’s been great to see women’s golf in general.”
The Tar Heels return to action next weekend in Athens, Georgia at the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic.
Carolina set the 18-hole school scoring records without a senior today Krista Junkari, leading UNC in dash average. Junkkari missed the tournament through injury but could return to the line-up soon.
