CLE ELUM, Wash. — Northwestern is in second at 4-under and three Wildcats are in the top 15 after shooting under par in the opening round of the NCAA West Regional at the Tumble Creek Golf Club Monday.
The Wildcats led the field in the first round with 20 birdies, taking advantage of the par-72, 6303-yard course that features five Par 5 holes. The 'Cats combined to shoot 6-under alone on the Par 5s en route to their opening round 284. The score marked NU's lowest round in the opening round of a NCAA Regional in program history.
The No. 1 seed USC leads the field at 7-under. The Wildcats and Trojans were the only programs to have three student-athletes shoot under par in round one.
CLE ELUM REGIONAL TEAM LEADERBOARD
CLE ELUM REGIONAL INDIVIDUAL LEADERBOARD
Senior Stephanie Lau is tied for third after leading the 'Cats with an opening round 4-under, 68. Lau took advantage of starting on a back nine that includes three Par 5s, making birdie on all three to make the turn at 3-under. She made her fifth birdie of the day on No. 4 and found the bottom of the cup for a birdie on a Par 5 yet again on No. 8.
First Year Kelly Sim set the tone for Chicago's Big Ten on the first nine, making three-straight birdies on holes 12, 13 and 14, before making it five birdies in her first nine holes with a tap in on No. 18 to make the turn at 4-under. Sim made three bogeys on the front nine, but her sixth birdie of the day on No. 6 helped her finish with a 2-under, 70, and tied for eighth.
Sim and fellow first year Kelly Su were just two of four student-athletes to make birdie on the par-4 sixth hole Monday.
Junior Brooke Riley also found herself under par at the end of the first round and is tied for 15th after carding a 1-under, 71. Riley was even par after her first nine and actually fell to 1-over with back-to-back bogeys on No. 18 and No. 1, but responded with back-to-back birdies on No. 2 and No. 3 to move to 1-under. She finished her round with six-straight pars.
Su rounded out the Wildcats' scoring in the first round thanks in large part to an impressive last nine holes. Su made a triple bogey on No. 18 to finish her first nine holes 5-over, but responded by making three birdies over her final five holes to shoot 2-under on the front nine and finish with a 3-over, 75.
The Wildcats led the field in the first round with 20 birdies, taking advantage of the par-72, 6303-yard course that features five Par 5 holes. The 'Cats combined to shoot 6-under alone on the Par 5s en route to their opening round 284. The score marked NU's lowest round in the opening round of a NCAA Regional in program history.
The No. 1 seed USC leads the field at 7-under. The Wildcats and Trojans were the only programs to have three student-athletes shoot under par in round one.
CLE ELUM REGIONAL TEAM LEADERBOARD
CLE ELUM REGIONAL INDIVIDUAL LEADERBOARD
Senior Stephanie Lau is tied for third after leading the 'Cats with an opening round 4-under, 68. Lau took advantage of starting on a back nine that includes three Par 5s, making birdie on all three to make the turn at 3-under. She made her fifth birdie of the day on No. 4 and found the bottom of the cup for a birdie on a Par 5 yet again on No. 8.
First Year Kelly Sim set the tone for Chicago's Big Ten on the first nine, making three-straight birdies on holes 12, 13 and 14, before making it five birdies in her first nine holes with a tap in on No. 18 to make the turn at 4-under. Sim made three bogeys on the front nine, but her sixth birdie of the day on No. 6 helped her finish with a 2-under, 70, and tied for eighth.
Sim and fellow first year Kelly Su were just two of four student-athletes to make birdie on the par-4 sixth hole Monday.
Junior Brooke Riley also found herself under par at the end of the first round and is tied for 15th after carding a 1-under, 71. Riley was even par after her first nine and actually fell to 1-over with back-to-back bogeys on No. 18 and No. 1, but responded with back-to-back birdies on No. 2 and No. 3 to move to 1-under. She finished her round with six-straight pars.
Su rounded out the Wildcats' scoring in the first round thanks in large part to an impressive last nine holes. Su made a triple bogey on No. 18 to finish her first nine holes 5-over, but responded by making three birdies over her final five holes to shoot 2-under on the front nine and finish with a 3-over, 75.