UTAH TECH UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE | March 28, 2024

Wet, soggy conditions lead to middle of the pack finish for DSU women’s golf

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Dixie State University women’s golf dealt with wet and soggy conditions for what proved to be a difficult Point Loma Nazarene University Reach 2017 Invitational. 

Having finished with a score of 327 (+39) for round one and a 336 (+48) score for round two, the Trailblazers finished eighth out of a fifteen team field with an overall score of 663 (+87). 

Due to such playing conditions, the Trailblazers found themselves having to play winter rules (lift, clean and place) for the opening round of the PLNU Reach Invitational. 

The Trailblazers were led by sophomore Katie Ford and redshirt junior Cobair Collinsworth. Ford shot an opening round 76 (+4) with four birdies on the back nine and Collinsworth put together a 7-over-par 79. 

“I had a lot of good up and downs and made a lot of 6-or-7 footers for par,” said Ford, an exercise science major from St. George. 

DSU head coach Lindsey Stucki said the team managed to stay positive through the first 18 holes even though the team struggled to read the small and fast-paced greens. 

“I think [putting] was our main problem overall,” Stucki said. 

With wet conditions and the need to club-up because of the elevation change, Stucki said the course played longer than usual.  

“It was different conditions than [yesterday’s practice round],” said Collinsworth, a business administration major from Sandy. “Everyone was a little [off].” 

Ford said the focus for day two was to play a little more consistent, not be so aggressive, and hit the ball to the middle of the green. 

Round two proved to be just as difficult for the Trailblazers as high scores were posted following Tuesday’s round. 

DSU’s top performer, Ford, managed to finish tied for ninth with an overall score of 155 (+11) with rounds of 76-79. 

Collinsworth put together another consistent round on day two as she shot another 7-over-par 79. Her overall score for the tournament kept her within the top-20 overall. 

DSU’s remaining three players, freshman Ashley Fernandez, sophomore Mei Brennan and redshirt sophomore Kaitlynn Hanberg, all finished outside the top-50. 

“I always tell them pars win tournaments,” Stucki said. “If you are giving yourself a [10 footer] on every hole, they are going to start to drop eventually.” 

The Trailblazers will seek to rebound in a couple weeks as they will return to California to play in the California Baptist University Invitational on Feb. 20 and 21.