Central in second after first day of Iowa Conference women’s golf tourney

Central College

CEDAR FALLS —A career day by Christine Ausman (freshman, Nevada) and a strong showing by her teammates, has the Central College women’s golf team in second place after day one of Iowa Conference tournament action.

The Dutch shot an opening round 329 at the par-72 Pheasant Ridge Golf Club in Cedar Falls, trailing defending champ Wartburg by 20 strokes. Loras and Luther follow with 343. Pheasant Ridge is a very familiar course for the Dutch, as this was their fourth round there this fall. Despite the familiar terrain, the Dutch struggled early.

“We got off to, collectively as a group, a pretty slow start,” coach Tim Wilkinson said. “I think that everyone on our team played better on the back nine. Some of that is due to the nerves that are associated with it being conference.”

Senior Kelsey Van Tasell (Pella) led the Dutch with 79. That score has her tied for fourth in the individual standings, five strokes back of Wartburg’s Rochelle Beardsley.

The highlight of the day for the Dutch was the career-best round of 82 carded by Ausman, topping an 83 she shot at Centennial Oaks in Waverly Sept. 7. In her three previous rounds at Pheasant Ridge she had shot an 85 and a pair of 88’s.

“Christine having an 82 helped the team,” Wilkinson said. “It was great to see her score so well because I don’t know that she would say she hit the ball all that great.”

Saturday’s tee times start at 9 a.m.