Huskers in Hunt in Oklahoma

Nebraska’s Miu Takahashi fired rounds of 71 and 73 to close the opening day in a tie for sixth at 144 (E) to lead the Husker women’s golf team at the Dale McNamara Invitational in Broken Arrow, Okla., on Monday.

Takahashi, a sophomore from Japan, covered the 6,302-yard of the Cedar Ridge Country Club with a 71 (-1) in Monday’s opening round, then remained in the hunt for medalist honors with a second-round 73 (+1). South Florida’s Melanie Green sits atop the individual leader board at 140 (-4), just four strokes ahead of Takahashi. Tulsa’s Lovisa Gunnar (-3), North Texas’ Audrey Tan and South Florida’s Lauren Heinlein (-2) and Kansas State’s Haley Vargas (-1) are the only other golfers ahead of Takahashi heading into Tuesday’s final round in Oklahoma.

Takahashi leads a trio of Huskers who will contend for top-10 tournament finishes, including Kelli Ann Strand. The freshman from Idaho battled her way back into contention in the second round after opening with a 76 (+4). Strand put together the best round by a Husker on Monday with a second-round 70 (-2) to end the first 36 holes in a tie for 12th at 146 (+2). 

Fifth-year Husker Megan Whittaker (Elkhorn, Neb.) matched Strand in a tie for 12th with back-to-back rounds of 73 to enter the final round at 146 (+2).

As a team, Nebraska sits in fourth place at 589 (+13) in the team standings, just 14 strokes behind the leaders from South Florida (575, -1). Tulsa (578, +2) is just three shots back of USF, while North Texas sits in third at 586 (+10) just three shots ahead of the Huskers.

Michaela Vavrova added a pair of counting rounds for the Huskers in their five-count-four lineup. The junior from Slovakia opened with a 78 (-6) before closing the day with a 75 (+3). She sits in a tie for 43rd with teammate Andrea Velez. The Colombian carded rounds of 75 and 78 while playing as an individual outside the Nebraska lineup.

Lindsey Thiele (Wahoo, Neb.) rounded out the Husker contention with solid rounds of 79 and 75 to sit in a tie for 49th at 154 (+10).

The Huskers will wrap up the Dale McNamara Invitational with a final-round shotgun start beginning at 8:30 a.m. (CT). Live scoring will be available through GolfStat.com.

Dale McNamara Invitational

Cedar Ridge Country Club (Par 72, 6,302 Yards)

Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

October 10-11, 2022

Team Results (Two Rounds)

1. South Florida – 291-284-575 (-1)

2. Tulsa – 292-286-578 (+2)

3. North Texas – 292-294-586 (+10)

4. Nebraska – 298-291-589 (+13)

5. James Madison – 307-285-592 (+16)

6. UTSA – 303-292-595 (+19)

7. BYU – 307-291-598 (+22)

8. Kansas State – 306-294-600 (+24)

9. Sacramento State – 302-300-602 (+26)

10. Sam Houston – 307-300-607 (+31)

T11. Middle Tennessee – 307-301-608 (+32)

T11. Boise State – 308-300-608 (+32)

13. Oral Roberts – 323-296-619 (+43)

Individual Results (Two Rounds)

1. Melanie Green, South Florida – 73-67-140 (-4)

2. Lovisa Gunnar, Tulsa – 73-68-141 (-3)

T3. Audrey Tan, North Texas – 70-72-142 (-2)

T3. Lauren Heinlein, South Florida – 69-73-142 (-2)

5. Haley Vargas, Kansas State – 74-69-143 (-1)

T6. Morgan Ellison, UTSA – 75-69-144 (E)  

T6. Grace Kilcrease, Tulsa – 72-72-144 (E)

T6. Miu Takahashi, Nebraska – 71-73-144 (E)

T6. Patricia Sinolungan, North Texas – 71-73-144 (E)

T10. Juliana Camargo, South Florida – 74-71-145 (+1)

T10. Lilly Thomas, Tulsa – 71-74-145 (+1)

 

Nebraska Individuals

T6. Miu Takahashi – 71-73-144 (E)

T12. Kelli Ann Strand – 76-70-146 (+2)

T12. Megan Whittaker – 73-73-146 (+2)

T43. Michaela Vavrova – 78-75-153 (+9)

*T43. Andrea Velez – 75-78-153 (+9) 

T49. Lindsey Thiele – 79-75-154 (+10)