Smith, Huskers Play for Title Tuesday

New Orleans – Kate Smith shot a two-over-par 74 on Monday and shares the tournament lead through 36 holes at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate at the English Turn Golf and Country Club.

Smith, a fifth-year senior from Detroit Lakes, Minn., was solid again on Monday after firing an opening-round 71 (-1) on Sunday on the 6,280 layout at English Turn. Smith carded 13 pars to go along with two birdies on the back nine that erased two bogeys on the front. However, a double-bogey on the par-3 17th cost Smith sole possession of the individual lead heading into Tuesday’s final round.

Smith’s strong play continued to lead an impressive showing by the Husker contingent through two rounds in New Orleans. Fourth-year junior Kirsten Baete (Beatrice, Neb.) remained in the hunt for a top-10 individual finish with her 76 (+4) Monday. She heads to the final round in a tie for sixth at 149 (+5) just four strokes off the lead.

Freshman Michaela Vavrova (Bojnice, Slovakia) matched Baete’s round with her second straight 76. Vavrova goes into the final day of the tournament in a tie for 13th at 152, well within striking distance of her first career top-10 finish.

Graduate transfer Alice Duan (Reno, Nev.) provided the Huskers with a third 76 in their count-four score in the second round. Duan’s strong round allowed her to surge 16 spots up the leaderboard into a tie for 28th.

Freshman Lindsey Thiele (Wahoo, Neb.), who opened the tournament with a 74 on Sunday, settled for an 83 in the second round to slip into a tie for 44th in the 81-player field. Senior Noor Ahmed (Folsom, Calif.) rounded out the Husker contingent with a 79 on Monday while playing as an individual outside the Husker lineup.

Texas State’s Marine Griffaut carded an even-par 72 Monday to move into a tie with Smith for the top spot on the leaderboard, while Maeve Rossi from Rutgers and Beatriz Barrios from Chattanooga sit two strokes back at 147. 

Griffaut helped Texas State post the best team score of the day with a 298 to slide two strokes in front of the Huskers at 594 heading into the final round. Nebraska’s second-round score of 302 put the Huskers firmly in second at 596, while Chattanooga sits in third at 607. Big Ten counterpart Rutgers lingers 15 shots behind Nebraska in fourth, while Big Ten foe Wisconsin sits 22 strokes behind the Big Red at 618.

“We left today feeling good about our position on the leaderboard,” Nebraska Coach Lisa Johnson said. “We didn’t score as well today, but we are still confident in our game plan and abilities. We are excited for the challenge tomorrow.”

Tuesday’s final round will begin with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. Live scoring will be available through GolfStat.

 

Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate

New Orleans, La.

English Turn Golf & Country Club

Par 72, 6,280 Yards

March 14-16, 2021

Team Standings (Two Rounds)

1. Texas State – 296-298-594 (+18)

2. Nebraska – 294-302-596 (+20)

3. Chattanooga – 303-304-607 (+31)

4. Rutgers – 301-310-611 (+35)

T5. Louisiana Monroe – 308-307-615 (+39)

T5. Tulane – 308-307-615 (+39)

T7. SMU – 314-304-618 (+42)

T7. Wisconsin – 314-304-618 (+42)

T7. Central Arkansas – 310-308-618 (+42)

10. Southern Mississippi – 312-313-625 (+49)

11. Seton Hall – 310-316-626 (+50)

12. McNeese State – 314-315-629 (+53)

13.  Loyola (New Orleans) – 323-313-336 (+60)

Individual Leaderboard (Two Rounds)

T1. Kate Smith, Nebraska – 71-74-145 (+1)

T1. Marine Griffaut, Texas State – 73-72-145 (+1) 

T3. Maeve Rossi, Rutgers – 73-74-147 (+3)

T3. Beatriz Barrios, Chattanooga – 72-75-147 (+3)

5. *Noramol Nuchsila, Texas State – 76-72-148 (+4)

T6. Kirsten Baete, Nebraska – 73-76-149 (+5)

T6. Federica Tavelli-Westerlund, Texas State – 72-77-149 (+5)

T8. Elin Kumlin, Central Arkansas – 76-74-150 (+6)

T8. Bobbi Stricker, Wisconsin – 75-75-150 (+6)

T8. Chantal Dueringer, Louisiana Monroe – 78-72-150 (+6)

T8. Carolina Rotzinger, McNeese State – 76-74-150 (+6)

Nebraska Individuals

T1. Kate Smith – 71-74-145 (+1)

T6. Kirsten Baete – 73-76-149 (+5)

T13. Michaela Vavrova – 76-76-152 (+8)

T28. Alice Duan – 79-76-155 (+11)

T44. Lindsey Thiele – 74-83-157 (+13)

*T57. Noor Ahmed – 81-79-160 (+16)

*playing as an individual outside Nebraska’s lineup