Northeastern’s Kelsey Kirkpatrick after a hole-in-one on the par 3 No. 15 at the Legends Course in Daytona Beach, Fla. Photo courtesy NSU Sports Information.
By Cedrique Flemming, Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Northeastern State women’s golf team is sixth after Wednesday’s opening round of the 2013 NCAA Division II Championships on the par-72, 6,228-yard Legends Course at LPGA International.
The RiverHawks opened with a 30-over-par 318, and the team is one of 11 looking up at No. 1 Nova Southeastern. The four-time-defending national champions sit in first place at 4-over 292. The Sharks are the only team in the field who has ever won the title.
No. 2 Lynn is second at 13-over 301, and No. 6 Barry is a stroke behind. No. 4 St. Edward’s and No. 8 Grand Canyon round out the top five at 304 and 309, respectively.
Kelsey Kirkpatrick became the talk of the tournament after she recorded a hole-in-one on the 162-yard par-3 15th. The senior hit a four-iron to the left of the hole, and the ball found the bottom of the cup after careening off a green-side mound.
“I never even saw it go in. We walked up to the green and I couldn’t find my ball,” Kirkpatrick said. “I knew I hit it pin high, but I couldn’t believe it when one of my playing partners told me she found it in the hole.”
The hole-in-one was the first of her career in a collegiate tournament.
Kirkpatrick opened with a 6-over 78 to tie for 32nd. Fellow senior Whitney McAteer birdied two par 3’s en route to a team-leading 75. She sits in a tie for 12th.
Sophomore Alex Koch is tied for 43rd at 9-over 81, and freshman McCandren Lewis is tied for 54th with a 12-over 84. Freshman Kayla Schroeder finished in a tie for 70th at 22-over 94.
Daniela Ortiz of Nova Southeastern leads the tournament by four strokes at 5-under 67.
The RiverHawks will begin their second round at 8:20 a.m. Thursday on the back nine.
Northeastern State is making its seventh appearance in the national finals and the first since 2007. The seven appearances are tied for fifth-most in NCAA Division II history and are the most of any team participating at this year’s championships.
The championships consist of both team and individuals competition conducted concurrently. All participants will compete throughout the entire 72 holes of competition. In the team competition, the low four scores for each team will count in each day’s total score.
2013 NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN’S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS – First Round Results
May 15, 2013 at Daytona Beach, Fla.
(par-72, 6,228-yard Legends Course at LPGA International)
Team Results
1. #1 Nova Southeastern 292 (+4)
2. #2 Lynn
3. #6 Barry
4. #4 St. Edward’s
5. #8 Grand Canyon 309 (+21)
6. #27 Northeastern State 318 (+30)
7. #5 Tarleton State 320 (+32)
8. #21 Indianapolis
9. #17 Central Oklahoma 326 (+38)
10. #22 California (Pa.) 327 (+39)
11. #25 Augustana
12. #36 Ashland
Top-5 Individuals
1. Daniela Ortiz (Nova Southeastern) 67 (-5)
2. Nancy Vergara (Barry)
3. Teresa Hernani (Lander)
T4. Ryanne Haddow (St. Edward’s)
Linnea Johansson (Nova Southeastern) 73 (+1)
Kristen Sammarco (Armstrong Atlantic) 73 (+1)
NSU Individuals
T12. Whitney McAteer 75 (+3)
T32. Kelsey Kirkpatrick 78 (+6)
T43. Alex Koch 81 (+9)
T54. McCandren Lewis 84 (+12)
T70. Kayla Schroeder 94 (+22)