Melendez gets it in red figures at Golden Pheasant to claim a Philly Junior Tour victory

 

   Trebor Melendez, the Vineland, N.J. phenom, was at it again Saturday, as he carded a sparkling 2-under-par 70 at Golden Pheasant Golf Club in Lumberton Township, N.J. to claim the top spot in the 13-to-15 division and record the best score of the day among the guys who teed it up in the Philadelphia Section PGA Junior Tour stop.

   On a chilly, cloudy day, Melendez blitzed the outgoing nine at Golden Pheasant with four birdies on his way to a 2-under 34 on the front. Melendez made birdies on the second, third, sixth and ninth holes and finished with a flourish with a fifth birdie at the closing hole.

   Melendez had 10 pars on his scorecard, including seven straight on the incoming nine from the 11^th through the 17^th holes. Melendez is a Class of 2030 competitor, making him the equivalent of a seventh-grader.

   Melendez was 10 shots clear of the rest of the 13-to-15 field as Mason Kim of Blue Bell made birdeis on the fifth, ninth, 12^th and 13^th holes and had seven pars on his card and earned runnerup honors with an 8-over 80.

   Six of Kim’s pars came on the outgoing nine at Golden Pheasant as he toured the front side in 1-under 35.

   Rithvik Nimma of Newtown made a birdie on the sixth hole and had 10 pars on his card as he finished a shot behind Kim in third place with an 81.

   Nolan Traczykiewicz, a sophomore at Central Bucks South, and Justin Stickel, a freshman on the Council Rock South golf team, shared fourth place, each registering an 82. Jesse Shurman of Villanova was another shot behind Traczykiewicz and Stickel in sixth place with an 83, William Thorkelson of Bryn Mawr was seventh with an 84 and Lucas Solano of Vineland, N.J. was eighth with an 85.

   Rounding out the top 10 in the 13-to-15 division was a quartet that finished in a tie for ninth place at 90 that included Neil Ray of West Chester, Carter Johnson of Berwyn, Evan Hahn of Berlin, N.J. and Anthony Beach of Westville, N.J.

   Pretty strong effort from St. Joseph’s Prep junior John Diamond, a Philadelphia resident who was a PIAA Class AAA qualifier last fall, as he finished atop the leaderboard in the 16-to-18 division with a 1-over 73.

   John Diamond made birdies on the fourth, sixth and 18^th holes and had 12 pars on his scorecard, seven of those pars coming in an even-par 36 on the incoming nine at Golden Pheasant.

   John Diamond lost in a playoff in the Christman Cup, one of the major championships on the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s series of junior events, last summer at Huntingdon Valley Country Club.

   Thomas Carpenter of Bristol had 14 pars on his card, including eight straight pars to finish out his steady round, as he ended up three shots behind Diamond in second place with a 4-over 76.

   Chase Mitchell of Medford, N.J. and Jack Ferm, a sophomore on the Garnet Valley golf team, were another two shots behind Carpenter in third place, each signing for a 6-over 78.

   Mitchell made birdies on the ninth and 17^th holes and had eight pars on his card while Ferm made a birdie at 13 and had 12 pars on his card.

   Enrique Altmann of Mickleton, N.J. took fifth place with a 79, Andrew Brendlinger, a junior on the Perkiomen Valley golf team, was sixth with an 80, Greg Kriz, a sophomore on the St. Joseph’s Prep golf team from Oreland, was seventh with an 81, Ethan Legarda of Vineland, N.J. was eighth with an 87 and Luke Farnese, a junior on the Plymouth-Whitemarsh golf team, was ninth with an 88.

   Rounding out the top 10 in the 16-to-18 division was the trio of Joshua Kriegel of Lawrenceville, N.J., Bradford Bergstrom of Moorestown, N.J. and Chase Kuech, a junior on the Upper Moreland golf team, as they finished in a tie for 10^th place, each landing on 89.

   Naaz Mehta, who capped an outstanding scholastic career at Council Rock North by earning a trip to the PIAA Class AAA Championship as a senior last fall, claimed a Philly Junior Tour victory in the girls 16-to-18 division with a solid 5-over 77.

   Naaz Mehta had 13 pars on her scorecard, finishing her steady round out with a string of eight straight pars in a 1-over 37 tour of the incoming nine at Golden Pheasant.

   Naaa Mehta’s Council Rock North teammate, Mariana Walker, a junior, made a birdie on the 17^th hole and had three pars on her card as she earned runnerup honors with a 95.

   Emily M. Renouf of Cinnaminson, N.J. had five pars on her card as she finished in third place with a 97.

   Nazareth Academy junior Olivia Diamond, another member of Philadelphia’s Team Diamond, took fourth place with a 98 and Christina St. Pierre of Yardley rounded out the field in the 16-to-18 division as she finished fifth with a 101.

   Madison Cabot of Newtown made an eagle at the par-5 10^th hole as well as birdies at one and seven as she matched Naaz Mehta’s 5-over 77 to finish atop the leaderboard in the 13-to-15 division.

   Cabot also had seven pars on her scorecard, five of them in an even-par 36 tour of the outgoing nine at Golden Pheasant.

   Noor Mehta, another member of Newtown’s Team Mehta, had 10 pars on her card as she finished just three shots behind Cabot in second place with an 80.

   Emma Cowan of Moorestown, N.J. rounded out the field in the 13-to-15 division as she made a birdie on the 17^th hole and had three pars on her card while finishing in third place with a 97.

   The Philly Junior Tour has split the old coed 12-and-under nine-holers into boys and girls divisions.

   At Golden Pheasant, there was only one entry in the girls 12-and-under division, but Emilie Davoli of Ambler had the best score in either division as she made a birdie at the ninth hole and had five pars on her scorecard in a sparkling 3-over 39.

   She’s 11-years old and a Class of ’32 competitor, which, I think, makes her a fifth-grader. Pretty strong.

   Jack Kolmer of Wayne made pars on the second and ninth holes and Niko Muego of Bryn Mawr made pars at one and seven as they finished in a tie for the top spot in the boys 12-and-under division, each ending up with an 8-over 44.

   Aidan Jose of Brick, N.J. had three pars on his card and Bradan Boal of Woodbine, N.J. had five pars on his card as they finished in a tie for third place, each ending up a shot behind Kolmer and Muego with a 45.

   Smith Rawes of Elkins Park took fifth place with a 46, Caden Bartra of Yardley and Victor Wang of Hockessin, Del. finished in a tie for sixth, each posting a 47, Damien Dollard of Cinnaminson, N.J. was eighth with a 48 and Adam Feith of Merion Station was ninth with a 52.

   Rounding out the top 10 among the boys 12-and-under nine-holers were Noah Howard of Lafayette Hill and Zach Medeiros of Narberth as they finished in a tie for 10^th place, each recording a 53.

 

 

 

 

 

Behind 1-2 finish by Summy, Cowan, Oklahoma dominates in Maridoe Intercollegiate victory

 

   Oklahoma and Oklahoma State are no longer in the same conference. But they are still in the same state and they remain two of the very best golf programs in Division I men’s golf. The rivalry lives on.

   With the Sooners and Texas gone to the Southeastern Conference, there won’t be one of those epic Big 12 Championship shootouts among Oklahoma, the Longhorns and the Cowboys this spring.

   This week’s Maridoe Intercollegiate will have to do as Oklahoma rolled to a 16-shot victory over Oklahoma State at Maridoe Golf Club in Carrollton, Texas.

   None of the websites I checked had a lot to say about the weather, but it must have created some challenging conditions because the scores were high, particularly in Tuesday’s final round. I’m told the wind blows in Texas almost all the time, which is why all those Oklahoma and Okie State guys are so good playing in it.

   The Sooners, who held their No. 7 spot in the Scoreboard, powered by clippd, rankings in the aftermath of their Maridoe victory, were the only team that finished under par as they opened with a 3-under 285 over the 7,358-yard, par-72 Maridoe layout and added a 5-under 283 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round to take a commanding 14-shot lead over Oklahoma State and Arizona State going into Tuesday’s final round.

   A final round of 1-over 289 was good enough to give Oklahoma a 7-under 857 total, 16 shots clear of Oklahoma State, which ended up with a 9-over 873 total. It was the fourth tournament win in the wraparound 2024-2025 season for the Sooners.

   A balanced Oklahoma lineup was led by a 1-2 finish from Jake Summy, a junior from Keller, Texas and No. 23 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), and Ryder Cowan, a sophomore home boy from Norman, Okla. and No. 68 in the WAGR.

   Summy was unflappable in the difficult conditions, opening with a 1-under 71 and adding a 3-under 69 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round before closing with a 2-under 70 for a 6-under 210 total. It was Summy’s second career individual title.

   Cowan posted back-to-back 1-under 71s in Monday’s double round before closing with a 2-under 70 to finish two shots behind his teammate in second place with a 4-under 212 total.

   Oklahoma State, which dropped a spot from No. 4 to No. 5 in the Scoreboard rankings with its runnerup finish, was certainly consistent at Maridoe, recording three straight 3-over 291s to finish in second place with its 9-over total.

   The Cowboys were led by Preston Stout, a sophomore from Richardson, Texas and No. 48 in the WAGR who finished two shots behind Oklahoma’s Cowan with a 2-under 214 total. Stout opened with a solid 2-under 70 and added a 1-over 73 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round before closing with a 1-under 71.

   What would be a pretty nice season for a lot of programs was a disappointment for perennial national powers like Oklahoma and Oklahoma State a year ago.

   Oklahoma claimed the team title as a three seed in the Rancho Sante Fe Regional with Oklahoma State finishing in a tie for third place to also earn a trip to the NCAA Championship at the La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif. out of the Rancho Santa Fe Regional.

   It was the worst possible finish for the Sooners at La Costa as they ended up in ninth place, a shot out of the top eight in the match-play bracket. All veteran Oklahoma head coach Ryan Hybl would ask for is a shot at a national championship in match play for his Sooners.

   Arizona State, which dropped from No. 3 to No. 6 in the Scoreboard rankings following the Maridoe Intercollegiate, joined Oklahoma State in the Big 12 after the untimely demise of the Pac-12.

   The Sun Devils only trailed Oklahoma by three shots after matching par in the opening round with a 288 and were tied for second place with Oklahoma State going into the final round after they added a 6-over 294 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round.

   Arizona State struggled in the difficult conditions of Tuesday’s final round, closing with a 306, but still finished in third place, 15 shots behind Oklahoma State with a 24-over 888 total.

   Arizona State was led by Michael Mjaaseth, a junior from Norway and No. 54 in the WAGR who finished in fourth place, two shots behind Oklahoma State’s Stout at even-par 216.

   Mjaaseth was only a shot behind Summy going into the final round as he matched par in the afternoon of Monday’s double round with a 72 after opening with a solid 3-under 69. But he backed off a little with a 3-over 75 in the final round.

   Arizona State failed to fire as the top seed in the Rancho Santa Fe Regional last spring and did not advance to the NCAA Championship. I’m sure the Sun Devils would like some redemption this spring.

   Alabama, a perennial SEC power, finished a shot behind Arizona State in fourth place with a 25-over 889 total.

   The Crimson Tide, who fell a spot in the Scoreboard rankings from No. 14 to No. 15 in the aftermath of the Maridoe Intercollegiate, opened with a 10-over 298 and matched par in the afternoon of Monday’s double round with a solid 288, but struggled in the final round with a closing 303.

   Alabama was led by freshman Nick Gross, whose outstanding scholastic career at Downingtown West was highlighted by a victory in the PIAA Class AAA Championship at the Heritage Hills Golf Resort as a sophomore in 2021.

   You can sense that Gross is starting to settle in at Alabama as he keeps getting a little better with each start. He was part of a group of four players who finished in a tie for 10^th place at 4-over 220 in the tough conditions at Maridoe.

   Gross, a U.S. Amateur quarterfinalist at Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, N.J. a week shy of his 16^th birthday in the summer of 2022, opened with a 3-over 75 at Maridoe and added a 1-over 73 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round before matching par in the final round with a solid 72.

   With Oklahoma and Texas added to an already potent lineup, the SEC Championship at Sea Island Golf Club on Saint Simons Island, Ga., which tees off April 23, is going to be a fascinating gathering of golf talent.

   North Carolina Greensboro, a Southern Conference representative and No. 85 in the Scoreboard rankings, finished eight shots behind Alabama in fifth place in the team standings with a 33-over 897 total.

   The Spartans added a 6-over 294 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round to their opening-round 295, but struggled, as many other teams did, in the final round with a closing 308.

   Baylor, another Big 12 entry and No. 76 in the Scoreboard rankings, finished a shot behind UNCG in sixth place in the 13-team field with a 34-over 898 total. After opening with a 300, the Bears added a 9-over 297 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round before closing with a 301.

   Oklahoma had two more players inside the top eight in the individual standings as Clark Von Gaalen, a freshman from Turlock, Calif., finished in a tie for sixth place with host North Texas’ Blake Keen, a freshman from Burleson, Texas, at 2-over 218, and senior Drew Goodman, another home boy from Norman, Okla. and No. 33 in the WAGR, landed in a tie for eighth place with Louisiana Tech’s Niilo Maki-Petaja, a sophomore from Finland, at 3-over 219.

   Van Gaalen contributed a 2-under 70 to Oklahoma’s solid start and added a 1-over 73 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round before closing with a 2-over 74. Goodman also opened with a solid 2-under 70 and added a 1-over 73 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round before closing with a 4-over 76.

   Summy, Cown and Goodman were all in the Oklahoma lineup when the Sooners captured the title in last spring’s Rancho Santa Fe Regional.

   Rounding out the Oklahoma lineup was Matthew Troutman, a junior from Louisville, Ky. and No. 87 in the WAGR, as he finished among the group tied for 17^th place with a 7-over 223 total. After opening with a 4-over 76, Troutman matched par in the afternoon of Monday’s double round with a 72 before closing with a 3-over 75.

   Backing up Stout for Oklahoma State was Gaven Lane, a sophomore from Argyle, Texas who finished alone in fifth place, a shot behind Arizona State’s Mjaaseth, with a 1-over 217 total. Lane opened with a 4-under 68, the low individual round of the tournament, and added a 2-over 74 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round before closing with a 75.

   North Texas’ Keen bounced back from an opening round of 3-over 75 with a 1-under 71 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round before matching par in the final round with a 72 that earned him a share of sixth place with Oklahoma’s Van Gaalen at 2-over.

   Louisiana Tech’s Maki-Petaja opened with a 1-over 73 and added a solid 3-under 69 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round before struggling a little with a final-round 77 that left him in a tie for eighth place with Oklahoma’s Goodman at 3-over.

   Eric Lee, a sophomore from Fullerton, Calif. and No. 75 in the WAGR, gave Oklahoma State a third top-10 finisher as he closed with a 3-under 69, the low round of the day in Tuesday’s final round, to join Alabama’s Gross in the foursome tied for 10^th place at 4-over.

   Lee, a semifinalist in the 2022 U.S. Junior Amateur at Bandon Dunes on the rugged Oregon coastline who transferred to Oklahoma State after a year at California, opened with a 4-over 76 before adding a 3-over 75 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round.

   Rounding out the quartet at 4-over were Arizona State’s Fifa Laopakdee, a sophomore from Thailand, and UNCG’s Jake Lewis, a freshman from Cary, N.C.

   Laopakdee matched par in the opening round with a 72 and added a 1-over 73 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round before closing with a 3-over 75.

   Lewis added a 2-over 74 in the afternoon of Monday’s double round after opening with a 75 before moving up the leaderboard in the final round with a 1-under 71.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hollenbaugh the leading lady as Ohio State records fall in victory in Clemson Invitational

 

   Don’t look now, but Lisa Strom might have something going with her Ohio State women’s golf team.

   Strom was the PIAA champion as a senior at Lansdale Catholic in 1994 and was a standout for the Buckeyes before playing professionally on the LPGA Tour and whatever the developmental tour – it’s the Epson Tour these days -- was called back then.

   Strom returned to Ohio State as an assistant under Therese Hession, the legendary head coach for the Buckeyes under whom Strom had played. Strom made a couple of stops as a head coach, including a time when Kent State was a national power, before returning to Columbus.

   When Hession retired, Strom was an obvious and easy choice to take over at her alma mater in 2021.

   It was a frustrating spring a year ago when the Buckeyes finished in sixth place as a six seed in the Bryan Regional, five shots shy of earning a trip to the NCAA Championship.

   It’s starting to look like things are going to be different this spring. With Kary Hollenbaugh, a junior from New Albany, Ohio and No. 22 in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), blossoming into a real star and some talented freshmen gaining confidence with each passing day, Ohio State rewrote the program’s record book with a 10-shot victory over Southeastern Conference power Arkansas in the Clemson Invitational, which wrapped up Sunday at The Reserve at Lake Keowee in Sunset, S.C.

   Ohio State, a Big Ten representative, came into the Clemson Invitational at No. 28 in the Scoreboard, powered by clippd, rankings, but the Buckeyes should be moving up after going a whopping 45-under par and leaving a talented field, including Arkansas, which has been one of the hottest teams in women’s college golf throughout the wraparound 2024-2025 season and is No. 2 in the Scoreboard rankings, in the dust.

   Hollenbaugh has emerged as the leading lady for Ohio State. After a couple of 4-under 68s in the first two rounds over the 6,489-yard, par-72 Jack Nicklaus design at Lake Keowee, Hollenbaugh closed with a career-best 8-under 64 for a 16-under 200 total that gave her a one-shot victory over Arkansas’ Kendall Todd, a senior from Goodyear, Ariz. and No. 30 in the Women’s WAGR.

   I always try to post on the Orange Blossom Tour events in Florida in January and Hollenbaugh was an impressive winner of the South Atlantic Women’s Amateur Championship, better known by its shorthand moniker The Sally, at Oceanside Country Club in Ormond Beach, Fla. for the second straight year. Turned out it was a preview of things to come.

   The victory in the Clemson Invitational was Hollenbaugh’s third of the spring. She won twice in February, capturing the title in the Therese Hession Regional Challenge hosted by Ohio State at the Palos Verdes Golf Club in Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. and winning again at the Spartan Suncoast Invitational at the Palm Aire Country Club’s Champions Course in Sarasota, Fla.

   Ohio State opened with a 13-under 275 at Lake Keowee and then set a program record with a 16-under 272 in Saturday’s second round to take a commanding 11-shot lead over SMU, an Atlantic Coast Conference entry and No. 33 in the Scoreboard rankings, going into the final round.

   Then the Buckeyes did it again as, fueled by Hollenbaugh’s sizzling 64, they matched their new program record with another 16-under 272 in the final round for a 45-under 819 total. Those were program records for both the total and the total in relation to par.

   With a gloomy forecast for Sunday, the teams played the first nine holes of the final round Saturday, so only nine holes remained to be played Sunday.

   Arkansas, getting a remarkable 11-under 61 from Todd, set a program record for score in relation to par with its 20-under 268 final round as the Razorbacks finished with a 35-under 829 total, still somehow 10 shots behind Ohio State.

   Arkansas, which has won four team titles this season, had opened with a 9-under 279 before adding a 6-under 282 in Saturday’s second round.

   Todd trailed Hollenbaugh by four shots when the final round began Saturday afternoon. She made 11 birdies and had seven pars as she tied the NCAA women’s record in relation to par with her 11-under round and is just the sixth woman ever to record a 61.

   Todd had opened with a 1-under 71 before adding a 3-under 69 in the second round.

   Todd and her teammate, Maria Jose Marin, a sophomore from Colombia and No. 6 in the Women’s WAGR, both reached the semifinals in last summer’s U.S. Women’s Amateur at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla.

   Marin contributed a 6-under 66 to Arkansas’ final-round surge as she finished alone in fifth place with a 10-under 206 total. Marin had opened with a 3-under 69 before adding a 1-under 71 in the second round.

   Arkansas captured the team title in last spring’s Las Vegas Regional as a two seed, but came up short of a spot in the match-play bracket in the NCAA Championship at the La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif. Marin finished in a tie for fourth place in the individual standings at La Costa.

   LSU, another SEC power and No. 11 in the Scoreboard rankings, finished nine shots behind
Arkansas in third place with a 26-under 838 total. After opening with an 8-under 280, the Tigers added a sparkling 16-under 272 in the second round before closing with a 12-under 276.

   LSU, in the final year of the era of Ingrid Lindblad and Latana Stone, earned a spot in the match-play bracket in last spring’s NCAA Championship at La Costa before falling to Oregon in the quarterfinals.

   Tennessee, another SEC entry and No. 32 in the Women’s WAGR, finished seven shots behind LSU in fourth place with a 19-under 845 as the Volunteers got off to a fast start with a 10-under 278 and added a 6-under 282 in the second round before closing with a 3-under 285.

   Tennessee failed to advance to last spring’s NCAA Championship as a seven seed in the Bermuda Run Regional.

   SMU was Ohio State’s closest pursuer going into the final round as the Mustangs added a 6-over 282 in the second round to their opening round of 12-under 276. SMU closed with a 2-over 290 to finish three shots behind Tennessee in fifth place with a 16-under 848 total.

   SMU earned a trip to last spring’s NCAA Championship by finishing in a tie for second place as a five seed in the Bryan Regional.

   Louisville, one of SMU’s ACC rivals, finished a shot behind the Mustangs in sixth place with a 15-under 849 total. The Cardinals, No. 51 in the Scoreboard rankings, were solid throughout the weekend, opening with a 3-under 285 and adding a 7-under 281 in the second round before closing with a 5-under 283.

   Penn State, getting a tie for 10^th place in the individual standings from its talented freshman, Jiratchaya Jiratthitinun of Thailand, finished in 13^th place in the 15-team field with a 15-over 879 total.

   It was the first appearance in the Clemson Invitational for Penn State as second-year head coach Kristen Simpson continues to try to expose her Nittany Lions to some better competition. Never a bad thing in my book.

   Penn State struggled in the opening round with a 15-over 303 before settling down with a pair of even-par 288s in the final two rounds.

   Penn State is one of Ohio State’s Big Ten rivals and the Big Ten Championship will return to the outer edge of the Philadelphia area for the second straight spring when it tees off April 18 – play concludes Easter Sunday -- at Bulle Rock Golf Course, the Pete Dye design that was once the site of an LPGA major championship, in Havre de Grace, Md.

   Backing up Hollenbaugh for Ohio State was one of the three freshmen in Strom’s lineup at Lake Keowee, Marina Joy-Moreno of Spain, as she finished alone in fourth place, the best of her still fledgling college career, in the individual standings with an 11-under 205 total, another career best.

   Joyce-Marino carded back-to-back 3-under 69s in the first two rounds before closing with a career-best 5-under 67.

   Another freshman, Nellie Ong of England, finished among the group tied for 15^th place with a 6-under 210 total, a career best. Ong sandwiched an even-par 72 in the second round with a pair of 3-under 69s.

   The third freshman in the Ohio State lineup, Mandy Song of China, finished among a trio of players tied for 21^st place at 5-under 211, including a sizzling career-best 8-under 64 in Saturday’s second round. Song had opened with a 3-over 75 and matched par in the final round with a 72.

   Rounding out the Ohio State was its veteran leader, Faith Choi, a senior form Frederick, Md. who finished in a tie for 31^st place with a 2-under 214 total. Choi added a 1-under 71 in Saturday’s second round to her solid opening round of 3-under 69 before closing with a 2-over 74.

   Strom also sent out Kavya Ajjarapu, a sophomore from Lutz, Fla., to compete as an individual and Ajjarapu finished among the trio tied for 75^th place at 227. After opening with a 2-over 74, Ajjarapu added a 3-over 75 in the second round before closing with a 78.

   Mississippi’s Caitlyn Macnab, a senior from South Africa and No. 28 in the Women’s WAGR, finished alone in third place in the individual standings, three shots behind Arkansas’ Todd at 12-under 204.

   After opening with a 3-under 69, Macnab recorded a 5-under 67 in Saturday’s second round before closing with a 4-under 68.

   As I’m finishing up this post, the opening round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship at the Champions Retreat Golf Club is complete and Ohio State’s Hollenbaugh and Macnab are in a large group tied for 13^th place at 2-under 70.

   Both are in with a good shot to survive the cut to the low 30 and ties who survive the cut and get to play the final round at the nearby Augusta National Golf Club.

   Host Clemson’s Isabella Rawl, a junior from Lexington, S.C., and SMU’s Emily Odwin, a junior from Barbados, finished in a tie for sixth place, each ending up a shot behind Arkansas’ Marin with a 9-under 207.

   After opening with a 76, Rawl came on strong, registering a 5-under 67 in the second round before closing with a sizzling 8-under 64. Odwin was steady throughout the weekend as she opened with a 4-under 68 and added a 2-under 70 in the second round before closing with a 3-under 69.

   LSU’s Taylor Riley, a junior from San Diego, Calif., and Harvard’s Vanessa Zhang, a freshman from Canada, finished in a tie for eighth place, each ending up with an 8-under 208 total.

   Riley carded back-to-back 3-under 69s in the first two rounds before finishing up with a 2-under 70. After opening with a 1-under 71, Zhang recorded a 3-under 69 in the second round before closing with a solid 4-under 68.

   Aine Donegan, a senior from Ireland and No. 57 in the Women’s WAGR, gave LSU a second finisher inside the top 10 as she headed a group of five players tied for 10^th place at 7-under 209, a group that included Penn State’s Jiratthitinun.

   After opening with a 2-under 70, Donegan, a member of the winning Great Britain & Ireland team in last summer’s Curtis Cup Match at Sunningdale Golf Club in England, matched par in the second round with a 72 before closing with a sparkling 5-under 67.

   After matching par with a 72 in the opening round, Jiratthitinun surged up the leaderboard with a sparkling 6-under 66 before closing with a 1-under 71. Jiratthitinun’s 7-under total was her best in relation to par in her still fledgling college career.

   Jiratthitinun’s fellow Thai, Maryland’s Chanayu Chowiwattana, also a freshman, was also in the group at 7-under as Chowiwattana matched par in the opening round with a 72 and added a 3-under 69 in the second round before closing with a 4-under 68.

   Rounding out the quintet at 7-under were Tennessee’s Kyra Van Kan, a freshman from South Africa, and Louisville’s Carmen Griffiths, a senior from Scotland.

   After opening with a 1-under 71, Van Kan signed for back-to-back 3-under 69s. Griffiths registered back-to-back 2-under 70s in the first two rounds before closing with a solid 3-under 69.

   Backing up Jiratthitnun for Penn State was Drew Nienhaus, a senior from St. Louis, Mo. who finished among the group tied for 48^th place with a 3-over 219 total. Nienhaus, who has been consistent throughout the spring portion of the wraparound 2024-’25 season, added a 2-under 70 in the second round to her opening round of 3-over 75 before closing with a 2-over 74.

   Senior Michelle Cox, who lost in a playoff for the PIAA Class AAA title as a senior at Emmaus in the fall of the coronavirus pandemic year of 2020, finished in the group tied for 54^th place for the Nittany Lions with a 5-over 221 total. After opening with a 5-over 77, Cox matched par in each of the final two rounds with a pair of 72s.

   Jami Morris, a senior from Chagrin Falls, Ohio, finished among a trio of players tied for 79^th place with a 231 total. Morris struggled in the first two rounds, adding an 80 in the second round to her opening-round 79 before settling down and matching par in the final round with a 72.

   Rounding out the Penn State lineup was Lauren Thompstone, a freshman from France who finished in 84^th place with a 243 total. Thompstone couldn’t solve the Lake Keowee layout in the first two rounds as she posted back-to-back 84s before contributing a counting 1-over 73 in the final round.