Women’s golf team hits 2 Invitational challenges

Golf challenges its players physically and mentally. IU Coach Clint Wallman said the IU women’s golf team was tired in both of these elements in the final round of the Lady Northern Intercollegiate, leaving them with a sixth-place finish.

“After those first two rounds, we were lethargic in the final day,” Wallman said. “It was a combination of being tired, not being as patient and not sticking to our game plan as much as the first day.”

The Hoosiers ended the first day with two rounds of 300 to tie in fifth with Augusta State.

Freshman Elizabeth Tong led the team with an opening round one-under-par 71, her best collegiate round this season. Tong tied for eighth for the tournament.

“I was just taking it one shot at a time and hitting the ball really well the first day,” Tong said. “College golf has been much more intense than junior golf because you have to do what’s best for yourself and your team.”

In the final round Oct. 11, the IU women’s golf team struggled to stay at par, with Tong and junior Rosie Davies each posting  the team low at six-over-par 77.

Senior co-captain Kristtini Cain ended the tournament tied for 18th, with the second-lowest tournament score for the Hoosiers.

“Mentally, I got down on myself after I hit bad shots,” Cain said. “I was trying to force things to happen and I didn’t trust myself.”

Cain said the first day of 36 holes took a toll on the team, but they came in wanting to play consistently throughout the entire event.

“We don’t try to shoot a number — that doesn’t work well for us,” Cain said. “But we had three weeks to prepare and worked on the shots we would see on the course. We have the ability and we are really close.”