Consistent Play Puts WPU Back in Top 10 Entering Final Round
William Penn University Athletics
by Wade Steinlage
Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.–While no team has really figured out the challenging layout, the Statesmen women’s golf team has been able to stay as even keel as any program and that propelled it back into the top 10 at the NAIA National Championships Thursday.
WPU, which entered nationals #16 in the nation, is currently 10th (only 17 teams made the 36-hole cut) with a three-day score of 965 (321-323-321) at the par-72 PGA National (Champion Course).
After getting a scare on the scoreboard Wednesday, SCAD Savannah (Ga.) distanced itself from the field and is just 18 holes away from the national crown at 909 (300-306-303). William Woods (Mo.) is second at 928, while Keiser (Fla.), courtesy of a tournament-tying low of 300, has jumped into the bronze position at 936.
The Champion Course remains unwilling to give in as 77 team scores have been posted and still none have broken the 300 mark.
William Penn, which is in front of six teams ranked ahead of it, has an outside shot of getting into the top five (Taylor is fifth at 941), but realistically will be shooting to pick off possibly two programs in Friday’s final round (Cumberlands-Ky. is eighth at 954).
The Statesmen will again be paired with William Carey (Miss.) (11th, 967), while Victoria (B.C.) (12th, 969) is also in the grouping. The trio’s first tee time will be 7:45 a.m. (Central).
WPU has posted the lowest score of its pairing all three days of the Championships.
It appears SCAD Savannah will likely complete the sweep of the team and individual titles as Maria Paula Otero has extended her 36-hole advantage to 10 strokes at 216 (75-73-68). Her 68 is the first ‘red’ number on the board thus far.
Helene Larsen (Jr., Viborg, Denmark, Business Management) had her first non-70’s day of the week (finished at 82), but Co-Heart of America Athletic Conference Players of the Year Elise Warne (Jr., Melbourne, Australia, Exercise Science) and Megan Rhoads (Jr., Schertz, Texas, Psychology) picked up the slack by shooting 76 and 78, respectively. All three players are now in the top 50 for the navy and gold.
Warne started with a double-bogey on Hole #10, but rebounded with a birdie on the 11th. She had three more bogeys on the back side, but countered with another birdie (Hole #17) to sit at +3 at the midway point. Her second nine was even better with just two bogeys as well as a birdie on the seventh hole to record her best round of the week. The junior is now 50th at 241 (83-82-76).
Rhoads managed the quietest day for WPU as she parred 12 holes and had just six bogeys. The junior is currently tied for 43rd at 240 (81-81-78).
Larsen’s 82 was really just marred by three bad holes (two double-bogeys and one triple-bogey). Otherwise, the junior suffered only three other bogeys, while birdying Hole #14 and parring 11 holes. She remains in the top 30 in a tie for 28th at 236 (76-78-82).
Brittany Evans (So., Fernley, Nev., Business Management) produced birdies on Hole #17 and on Hole #9, but could not get much else going as she finished at 85. The sophomore enters Friday in a tie for 78th at 252 (85-82-85).
The scorecard for Alexis Guimaraes (So., San Ramon, Calif., Psychology) was quite similar to that of Evans’ as she also had two birdies (Holes 11 and 17), but little else went according to plan en route to an 88. The sophomore will go into her final round of the year tied for 75th at 251 (81-82-88).
As it has been all week, the front was much easier for the Statesmen, shooting a combined +20 on Holes 1-9, compared to +29 on Holes 10-18.
“We made another good move up the standings today,” Head Coach Chris Pierson said. “We were able to pick off some more teams behind great play by Elise and Megan. Everyone is figuring out the course a little bit more each day. We are on the verge of putting it all together for hopefully a really good final round.”
