Huskers Open with Record Day in NOLA

New Orleans – Kelli Ann Strand tied the Nebraska freshman record with an opening-round 67 (-5), before smashing the same record with a second-round 65 (-7) to storm to the top of the leader board after the first day of the Green Wave Classic at the Bayou Oaks South Course on Monday.

Strand’s two-round total of 132 (-12) powered the Huskers to the best 36-hole team score in school history (553) to close the day at 23-under-par in a tie for first with LSU. The Huskers and Tigers carry a five-stroke lead over third-place Tulsa (558) and a 15-stroke edge over fourth-place South Florida entering Tuesday’s final round.

Strand, a three-time high school state champion from the small town of Challis, Idaho, was spectacular in the second round, scorching the 6,158-yard layout of the Bayou Oaks South Course including a 29 (-7) over that back nine that included birdies on No. 10, 11, 12, 14,15, 16 and 17 with pars on No. 13 and 18. Strand’s front nine included a birdie on No. 3 and her only bogey of the day on No. 5.

Strand’s opening round of her collegiate career was bogey free and featured birdies on No. 3, 11, 12, 16 and 18 to go along with 13 pars. Strand enters the final 18 holes with a three-stroke advantage over LSU’s Latanna Stone and Aine Donegan who are tied for second at 135 (-9).

While Strand took top billing on Monday, Husker Megan Whittaker also produced an outstanding performance. The graduate student from Elkhorn, Neb., closed the day in a tie for fourth with rounds of 70 (-2) and 67 (-5) to finish at 137 (-7). Whittaker’s opening round featured four birdies and two bogeys, while her second round sizzled with six birdies and just one bogey.

Another native Nebraska golfer, Lindsey Thiele produced one of the best days of her Husker career with rounds of 69 and 70 to close the day at 139 (-5) in a tie for 10th. Thiele joined Strand with a bogey-free first round, as Thiele’s first 18 holes included three birdies and 15 pars. 

Sophomore Andrea Velez (Colombia) added a solid first day with rounds of 72 and 73 to close at 145 (+1) in a tie for 32nd, while fellow sophomore Miu Takahashi (Japan) contributed rounds of 72 and 74 to end the day at 146 (+2) in a tie for 35th in the 81-player field.

The Green Wave Classic concludes with the final round beginning at 7 a.m. (CT) on Tuesday.

Green Wave Classic

New Orleans, Louisiana

Bayou Oaks South Course (Par 72, 6,158 Yards)

September 12-13, 2022

Team Standings (Two Rounds)

T1. Nebraska – 278-275 – 553 (-23)

T1. LSU – 278-275 – 553 (-23)

3. Tulsa – 276-282 – 558 (-18)

4. South Florida – 282-286 – 568 (-8)

5. Tulane – 288-282 – 570 (-6)

6. Incarnate Word – 294-281 – 575 (-1)

7. Mercer – 296-280 – 576 (E)

8. Central Arkansas – 290-289 – 579 (+3)

9. Sam Houston – 293-289 – 582 (+6)

10. Seattle – 288-298 – 586 (+10)

11. Chattanooga – 298-291 – 589 (+13)

12. Little Rock – 300-290 – 590 (+14)

13. Northern Colorado – 301-303 – 604 (+28)

14. UNC Asheville – 302-306 – 608 (+32)

Individual Leaderboard (Two Rounds)

1. Kelli Ann Strand, Nebraska – 67-65 – 132 (-12)

T2. Latanna Stone, LSU – 68-67 – 135 (-9)

T2. Aine Donegan, LSU – 67-68 – 135 (-9)

T4. Megan Whittaker, Nebraska – 70-67 – 137 (-7)

T4. Taylor Riley, LSU – 69-68 – 137 (-7)

T4. Samantha Bruce, Seattle – 64-73 – 137 (-7)

T7. Daozeng Liu, Tulane – 70-68 – 138 (-6)

T7. Grace Kilcrease, Tulsa – 69-69 – 138 (-6)

T7. Lovisa Gunnar, Tulsa – 68-70 – 138 (-6)

T10. Elsa Svensson, LSU – 71-68 – 139 (-5)

T10. Lindsey Thiele, Nebraska – 69-70 – 139 (-5)

Nebraska Individuals

1. Kelli Ann Strand – 67-65 – 132 (-12)

T4. Megan Whittaker – 70-67 – 137 (-7)

T10. Lindsey Thiele – 69-70 – 139 (-5)

T32. Andrea Velez – 72-73 – 145 (+1)

T35. Miu Takahashi – 72-74 – 146 (+2)

*T73. Lena Hassert – 81-74 – 155 (+11)

* competing as an individual outside Nebraska’s lineup