Strand Leads Huskers in Arizona

Kelli Ann Strand produced a top-10 individual finish to help Nebraska to a 10th-place showing in a loaded 17-team field at the Mountain View Collegiate in Tucson, Arizona on Sunday.

Strand, a freshman from Challis, Idaho, put together three strong rounds, including a 66 (-6) in Saturday’s second round, before adding a 70 (-2) in Sunday’s final round. She opened the tournament with an even-par 72 on the 6,210-yard layout at the Mountain View Golf Club. She finished in a tie for ninth at 208.

Graduate Megan Whittaker (Elkhorn, Neb.) added a tie for 33rd in the 90-player field with three solid rounds of her own, including back-to-back rounds of 71 (-1) on Saturday and Sunday after opening with a 73 on Friday. Whittaker finished with a three-round total of 215.

Sophomore Miu Takahashi (Nasu-Machi, Japan) tied for 59th, including a final-round 69 (-3) on Sunday. Takahashi rallied for an even-par 72 on Saturday after opening the tournament with a 78. Takahashi closed with a 54-hole score of 219.

Junior Michaela Vavrova (Bojnice, Slovakia) finished just one shot back of Takahashi in a tie for 63rd at 220 with rounds of 73, 72 and 75. Junior Lindsey Thiele (Wahoo, Neb.) rounded out the Husker contingent in a tie for 83rd at 228, including an opening-round 71.

Iowa State ran away with the team title by firing a tournament-record 259 (-29) on Sunday, including a 64 (-8) from tournament champion Karisa Chul-ak-sorn, whose final round capped an amazing three-round total of 191 (-25) that included a second-round 62 (-10) and an opening-round 65 (-7). 

Chul-ak-sorn, whose 54-hole score tied the NCAA record, led four Cyclones among the top six, including Ruby Chou (4th, 204, -12), Pammy Chookaew (5th, 205, -11) and Liyana Durisic (6th, 206, -10). The Cyclone quartet put up five-count-four rounds of 64-64-64-67 on Sunday.

Iowa’s State’s final round allowed them to smash the NCAA record with a three-round team total of 804 (-60) to pull away from runner-up Ohio State, which finished at 837 (-27), while TCU took third at 842 (-22). In a field filled with top-50 teams, Nebraska took 10th 855 (-9), including a final-round 285.

“We had a good tournament,” Nebraska Coach Jeanne Sutherland said. “We saw how well we stacked up against some great teams. We had it rolling today, but we didn’t finish it off. This team has a lot of game, and they’re starting to see how well they can play. We just need to continue to play with freedom and learn from each tournament.”

Nebraska returns to action at The Bruzzy (April 1-2) at the Dornick Hills Golf and Country Club in Ardmore, Okla.

Mountain View Collegiate

March 17-19, 2023

Tucson, Arizona (Mountain View GC)

Par 72, 6,210 Yards

Final Team Results

1. Iowa State – 280-265-259=804 (-60)

2. Ohio State – 279-281-277=837 (-27)

3. TCU – 276-287-279=842 (-22)

T4. San Jose State – 279-284-282=845 (-19)

T4. Houston – 291-278-276-845 (-19)

T6. UNLV – 286-287-279=852 (-12)

T6. New Mexico – 287-287-278=852 (-12)

T6. North Texas – 288-283-281=852 (-12)

T6. Tulsa – 285-280-287-852 (-12)

10. Nebraska – 289-281-285=855 (-9)

11. North Carolina – 289-292-276=857 (-7)

12. Arkansas – 287-289-288=864 (E)

13. New Mexico State – 290-294-282=866 (+2)

14. Missouri – 290-289-292=871 (+7)

T15. Wisconsin – 290-290-292=872 (+8)

T15. Kansas State – 297-287-288=872 (+8)

17. Southern Miss – 297-294-297=888 (+24)

Final Individual Results

1. Karisa Chul-ak-sorn, Iowa State – 65-62-64=191 (-25)

2. Caley McGinty, Ohio State – 68-67-63=198 (-18)

3. Caitlyn Macnab, TCU – 65-69-68=202 (-14)

4. Ruby Chou, Iowa State – 70-70-64=204 (-12)

5. Pammy Chookaew, Iowa State – 74-67-64=205 (-11)

6. Liyana Durisic, Iowa State – 73-66-67=206 (-10)

T7. Ellie Roth, North Texas – 71-66-70=207 (-9)

T7. Napat Lertsadwattana, New Mexico – 72-67-68=207 (-9)

T9. Kelli Strand, Nebraska – 72-66-70=208 (-8)

T9. Kajsa Arwefjall, San Jose State – 71-67-70=208 (-8)

Nebraska Individuals

T9. Kelli Strand – 72-66-70=208 (-8)

T33. Megan Whittaker – 73-71-71=215 (-1)

T59. Miu Takahashi – 78-72-69=219 (+3)

T63. Michaela Vavrova – 73-72-75=220 (+4)

83. Lindsey Thiele – 71-81-76=228 (+12)