WPU Makes Cut, Looks to Move Up on Unyielding Course
William Penn University Athletics
by Wade Steinlage
Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.–The home of the PGA’s Honda Classic refused to play nice Wednesday, but the Statesmen women’s golf team again grinded its way to a solid score and made the cut at the NAIA National Championships.
WPU, which entered nationals #16 in the nation, is currently tied for 13th out of 30 teams with a two-day score of 644 (321-323) at the par-72 PGA National (Champion Course). Top-ranked SCAD Savannah (Ga.) continues to lead the standings at 606 (300-306), but William Woods (Mo.) has narrowed the gap to make it a two-team race. The Owls now trail by just four strokes at 610 (309-301), while Taylor (Ind.) is a distant third at 626.
The Champion Course has played so tough that 60 team scores have been posted by the NAIA’s best programs and not a single one has yet been under 300.
The navy and gold, who ahead of #8 William Carey (Miss.), #9 Rocky Mountain (Mont.) (missed cut), and #10 Oklahoma City (missed cut), are right in the thick of it, only 10 strokes out of fourth place.
William Penn made the 17-team cut by 12 strokes and will be paired with Southeastern (Fla.) (T-13th, 644) and William Carey (15th, 648) for Thursday’s third round. The trio will tee off Hole #10 with the first grouping heading out at 7 a.m. (Central).
Maria Paula Otero of SCAD Savannah is the Championships’ new individual leader (157 players) at 148 (75-73).
Helene Larsen (Jr., Viborg, Denmark, Business Management), who managed a team-best 78, suffered two bad holes on the back nine (double-bogey on Hole #12, triple-bogey on Hole #15), but countered that with seven pars. The junior then recorded birdies on the first and third holes to improve to +3; unfortunately she gave back a few strokes at the end of a stellar day.
Overall, Larsen entered Wednesday in a tie for 12th place and remains there, just six shots out of the lead at 154 (76-78). She would have easily made the cut as an individual, but because of solid play from her teammates as well, everyone in the navy and gold is back on the course for Thursday and Friday’s rounds.
Megan Rhoads (Jr., Schertz, Texas, Psychology) enjoyed just four pars in a rollercoaster-ish round. She topped the Statesmen with three birdies (Holes #4, #6, and #14), but unfortunately also posted 10 bogeys and one double-bogey. Like all of William Penn’s linksters, she was stronger on the front side at +2 and currently is tied for 52nd at 162 (81-81).
Alexis Guimaraes (So., San Ramon, Calif., Psychology), Elise Warne (Jr., Melbourne, Australia, Exercise Science), and Brittany Evans (So., Fernley, Nev., Business Management) all posted 82’s on Wednesday.
Guimaraes was once again formidable at the back end of the lineup, posting just one double-bogey on Hole #4. She recorded one birdie on the 11th hole and rest of her round included pars or bogeys. Her steady day has her in a tie for 60th at 163 (81-82).
Warne started with a birdie on Hole #10, but failed to keep it going on the rest of the back, including a double-bogey on Hole #15. The junior stole a shot back on the second hole, but had a few negative holes down the stretch and is now tied for 76th at 165 (83-82).
Outside of two bad holes (triple-bogey on Hole #11, quadruple-bogey on Hole #16), Evans was actually quite productive. She countered her down spots with a birdie on Hole #13 and then a round-ending birdie on the ninth hole. Evans enters Thursday’s third round at 167 (85-82) and in a tie for 89th.
The back nine (WPU started on Hole 10) played much more difficult than the front Wednesday as the squad was a combined +31 on Holes 10-18, but recovered to shoot +14 on Holes 1-9.
“Today was another battle and it was looking questionable at one point,” Head Coach Chris Pierson said. “Everyone grinded through their round, though, and we are fortunate to make the cut and move on to the final two rounds. Helene has been our anchor so far this tournament and has put together two very solid rounds.”
“I am so proud of how all these ladies battle each and every day,” Pierson added. “We look forward to playing the next two days and seeing what we can do.”
