Huskers in Hunt in California

Somis, Calif. – The Nebraska women’s golf team put up a solid 318 in challenging scoring conditions to sit in seventh place after the opening round of the Bruin Wave International on Monday.

Nebraska’s first-round total came on a tough 6,273-yard, par-72 layout at The Saticoy Club. A 20-plus mile per hour Santa Ana wind also played a role in pushing scores higher across the board for the talent-rich 16-team field.

“It was an unbelievably challenging course today, but we are determined to keep learning and improve,” Nebraska Coach Lisa Johnson said. “The severely sloping greens played the primary role. The wind speed was manageable, but it was a Santa Ana wind, which makes the course play much differently than designed. It’s a ball-striker’s course, and even then a good shot can land center of the green and roll off.”

Junior Megan Whittaker (Elkhorn, Neb.) led Nebraska with a five-over-par 77, which was good for a tie for 13th through 18 holes. Senior Kate Smith added a 78 to head to Tuesday’s second round in a tie for 16th, while graduate transfer Alice Duan contributed a 79 to sit in a tie for 21st. Freshman Michaela Vavrova rounded out Nebraska’s count-four lineup with an 84.

Oregon produced the best opening-round team score with a 306, while Arizona State sits in second at 309.  New Mexico and the hosts from UCLA head to Tuesday tied for third at 313, just five strokes ahead of the Huskers.

Oregon’s Ching-Tzu Chen and Briana Chacon were the only two golfers in the field to play the opening round at par, while Arizona State’s Linn Grant and Northwestern’s Irene Kim are tied for third at 73 through 18 holes.

Nebraska will take the knowledge gained from Monday’s first round and shoot for more success in Tuesday’s second round with tee times set to begin at 10 a.m. (CT). Live scoring will be available through GolfStat.com.

Bruin Wave Invitational

Somis, Calif. (The Saticoy Club)

Par 72, 6,273 Yards

March 1-3, 2021

Team Standings (First Round)

1. Oregon – 306

2. Arizona State – 309

T3. New Mexico – 313

T3. UCLA – 313

5. Northwestern – 315

6. New Mexico State – 316

7. Nebraska – 318

8. Pepperdine – 319

9. Cal State Fullerton – 320

10. Oregon State – 322

11. Washington – 325

T12. Cal Poly – 326

T12. Colorado State – 326

T12. Long Beach State – 326

T12. San Diego State – 326

Individual Leaderboard

T1. Ching-Tzu Chen, Oregon – 72

T1. Briana Chacon, Oregon – 72

T3. Linn Grant, Arizona State – 73

T3, Irene Kim, Northwestern – 73

T5. Emma Spitz, UCLA – 74

T5. Brittany Shin, Cal State Fullerton – 74

7. Napat Lertsadwattana, New Mexico – 75

T8. Alison Gastelum, New Mexico State – 76

T8. Reese Guzman, Pepperdine – 76

T8. Nicole Neale, Cal Poly – 76

T8. Tze-Han Lin, Oregon – 76

T8. Alessandra Fanali, Arizona State – 76 

Nebraska Individuals

T13. Megan Whittaker – 77

T16. Kate Smith – 78

T21. Alice Duan – 79

T57. Michaela Vavrova – 84

T74. Lindsey Thiele – 89