GOODYEAR, Ariz. – The Western Washington University women's golf team turned in a solid first round of the 2018-19 season, sitting in third place after the first round of the WNMU Fall Intercollegiate played Monday at the Golf Club of Estrella.
The Vikings recorded a team score of 8-over-par 296 to finish the day in third place in the 18-team field. Cal State San Marcos (+1, 289) holds a 2-stroke lead over second-place Arkansas Tech (+3, 291). Western is three shots in front of fourth-place Colorado State Pueblo (+11, 299).
"It was fun to see our team come out of the gates with a great start and it shows how well prepared they were mentally and physically," said head coach
Bo Stephan. "There is no question they came into the season ready to play and worked on their games over the summer. It was a great round of golf that we look to carry into tomorrow's final round."
All five of WWU's golfers recorded rounds in the 70s, led by junior transfer
Lacy Sheldon (Dallas, TX/Legacy Christian/Montevallo) who is tied for the tournament lead after carding a 1-under-par 71. Making her Viking debut, Sheldon recorded a pair of birdies on holes No. 4 and No. 7, and was bogey-free until her final hole of the round on No. 15. She is tied atop the leaderboard in the 98-player field with Peerada Piddon (Arkansas Tech), Drishti Karumbaya (Cal State East Bay) and Sami Penor (Biola).
"What a great debut for her as a Viking…Lacy had an awesome round and was solid all day," added Stephan. "She was very efficient in making pars and gave herself a lot of great chances today."
Senior
Nicole Miller (Renton, WA/Kennedy Catholic/North Idaho College) is tied for 11
th place at 1-over-par 73. Miller was 1-under-par through her first 15 holes of the day, but came home with a pair of bogeys over her final three holes.
"Nicole has been rock-solid and came back from the summer ready to plan and in control of her game," said Stephan. "She has taken a huge step forward and her round today was evident of all her hard work."
Sophomore
Megan Billeter (Spokane, WA/Mt. Spokane) also cracked the top 20 tying for 19
th place with a 3-over-par 75, with her team-best four birdies tied for third-most in the tournament field.
Junior college transfer
Briana Esvelt (Kennewick, WA/Kamiakin/Columbia Basin College) is tied for 41
st in her WWU debut at 5-over-par 77 and senior
Annie Leete (Oak Harbor, WA) is tied for 57
th at 7-over-par 79.
Tuesday's final round is scheduled to start at 7:45 am with WWU, Cal State San Marcos, Arkansas Tech and Colorado State Pueblo all going off the first tee.
Live scoring can be followed via
Golfstat.com.
|
WNMU FALL INTERCOLLEGIATE
Golf Club of Estrella 8 Goodyear, Ariz. 8 Par 72 8 6,087 Yards
|
|
Pos.
|
Team/Player
|
To Par
|
Rd 1
|
Rd 2
|
Total
|
|
3rd
|
Western Washington
|
+8
|
296
|
--
|
296
|
|
T1
|
Lacy Sheldon
|
-1
|
71
|
--
|
71
|
|
T11
|
Nicole Miller
|
+1
|
73
|
--
|
73
|
|
T19
|
Megan Billeter
|
+3
|
75
|
--
|
75
|
|
T41
|
Brianna Esvelt
|
+5
|
77
|
--
|
77
|
|
T57
|
Annie Leete
|
+7
|
79
|
--
|
79
|
|
Pos.
|
Team
|
To Par
|
Rd 1
|
Rd 2
|
Total
|
|
1.
|
Cal State San Marcos
|
+1
|
289
|
--
|
289
|
|
2.
|
Arkansas Tech
|
+3
|
291
|
--
|
291
|
|
3.
|
Western Washington
|
+8
|
296
|
--
|
296
|
|
4.
|
Colorado State-Pueblo
|
+11
|
299
|
--
|
299
|
|
5.
|
Sonoma State
|
+14
|
302
|
--
|
302
|
|
|
Biola
|
+14
|
302
|
--
|
302
|
|
7.
|
Cal State Monterey Bay
|
+16
|
304
|
--
|
304
|
|
8.
|
Regis
|
+17
|
305
|
--
|
305
|
|
9.
|
Cal State East Bay
|
+18
|
306
|
--
|
306
|
|
10.
|
Colorado-Colorado Springs
|
+20
|
308
|
--
|
308
|
|
11.
|
Chico State
|
+21
|
309
|
--
|
309
|
|
12.
|
Colorado Mesa
|
+22
|
310
|
--
|
312
|
|
|
Point Loma
|
+22
|
310
|
--
|
312
|
|
14.
|
Embry Riddle (AZ)
|
+23
|
311
|
--
|
311
|
|
15.
|
Western New Mexico
|
+34
|
322
|
--
|
322
|
|
16.
|
Montana State Billings
|
+37
|
325
|
--
|
325
|
|
|
Fort Lewis College
|
+37
|
325
|
--
|
325
|
|
18.
|
Cal State Los Angeles
|
+50
|
338
|
--
|
338
|
The WNMU Fall Intercollegiate, hosted by Western New Mexico University, is the first of four fall tournaments for the Vikings.
WWU hosts the 24
th WWU Invitational that will be played Oct. 8-9 at the Bellingham Golf & Country Club. Following the WNMU Fall Intercollegiate, the Vikings will play in the Dixie State Fall Invitational Oct. 1-2 at Sand Hollow Resort in Hurricane, Utah and will conclude the fall season Oct. 29-30 at the Cal State San Marcos Fall Classic at Woods Valley Golf Course in Valley Center, California.
The complete 2018-19 season schedule, team roster and updated season statistics provided by
Golfstat can be viewed online at
WWUVikings.com/WGolf.
