ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Led by senior Stephanie Lau and newcomer Kelly Sim, No. 10 Northwestern kicked off the 2018-19 season with a Top-4 result at the 2018 Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational, hosted at the University of New Mexico Championship Course (Par 72; 6317 yards).
Lau birdied the first and last holes of her final round Tuesday, signing her name to a 2-under 214 that started her season with a T6 finish. Sim, in her collegiate debut, showed tremendous resolve in the third round after staring with a triple-bogey on No. 2. The New Jersey native rallied with five birdies during the round, including three in her last six holes, to shoot a team-best even-par 72 on Tuesday, and finish T10 at 1-under for the tournament. Senior Janet Mao rounded out a 'Cats trio in the Top-15 thanks to a 2-under 7 in Round 2.
Classmates Mao and Lau were better than anyone in the field on the course's longest offerings over three rounds finishing No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in scoring average on the Par-5 holes.
2018 Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational – TEAM Leaderboard
2018 Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational – INDIVIDUAL Leaderboard
Northwestern – 4/16 • 289-284-294 = 867 (+3)
T6 – Stephanie Lau – 71-70-73 = 214 (-2)
T10 – Kelly Sim – 71-72-72 = 215 (-1)
T15 – Janet Mao – 72-70-75= 217 (+1)
T33 – Brooke Riley – 75-72-74 = 221 (+5)
T63 – Kelly Su – 78-75-75 = 228 (+12)
T77 – Jane Lu – 83-77-74 = 234 (+18)
No. 10 Northwestern will compete next at the elite ANNIKA Intercollegiate, at Royal Golf Club in Lake Elmo, Minnesota, joined by eight of the other schools in the Top-10. The field will include No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 Arkansas, No. 3 UCLA, No. 4 Duke, No. 5 Southern California, No. 6 Stanford, No. 7 Texas, No. 9 South Carolina, No. 12 Arizona, No. 17 Oklahoma State, along with Minnesota.
Lau birdied the first and last holes of her final round Tuesday, signing her name to a 2-under 214 that started her season with a T6 finish. Sim, in her collegiate debut, showed tremendous resolve in the third round after staring with a triple-bogey on No. 2. The New Jersey native rallied with five birdies during the round, including three in her last six holes, to shoot a team-best even-par 72 on Tuesday, and finish T10 at 1-under for the tournament. Senior Janet Mao rounded out a 'Cats trio in the Top-15 thanks to a 2-under 7 in Round 2.
Classmates Mao and Lau were better than anyone in the field on the course's longest offerings over three rounds finishing No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in scoring average on the Par-5 holes.
2018 Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational – TEAM Leaderboard
2018 Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational – INDIVIDUAL Leaderboard
Northwestern – 4/16 • 289-284-294 = 867 (+3)
T6 – Stephanie Lau – 71-70-73 = 214 (-2)
T10 – Kelly Sim – 71-72-72 = 215 (-1)
T15 – Janet Mao – 72-70-75= 217 (+1)
T33 – Brooke Riley – 75-72-74 = 221 (+5)
T63 – Kelly Su – 78-75-75 = 228 (+12)
T77 – Jane Lu – 83-77-74 = 234 (+18)
No. 10 Northwestern will compete next at the elite ANNIKA Intercollegiate, at Royal Golf Club in Lake Elmo, Minnesota, joined by eight of the other schools in the Top-10. The field will include No. 1 Alabama, No. 2 Arkansas, No. 3 UCLA, No. 4 Duke, No. 5 Southern California, No. 6 Stanford, No. 7 Texas, No. 9 South Carolina, No. 12 Arizona, No. 17 Oklahoma State, along with Minnesota.