Huskers In Hunt at Hurricane Invite

Four Nebraska women’s golfers are in position to challenge for top-25 individual finishes after the first 36 holes at the Hurricane Invitational in Coral Gables, Fla., on Monday.

Sophomore Miu Takahashi led the solid play by the Huskers with rounds of 69 (-3) and 73 (+1) to sit in a tie for 15th at 142 heading into Tuesday’s final round at the Biltmore Golf Club. Takahashi’s first round included six birdies against three bogeys to go along with nine pars, while her second round included an eagle on the par-4, 374-yard 16th hole.

Graduate student Megan Whittaker continued her steady play with a one-under 143 through 36 holes. She opened with a 71 (-1) that featured five birdies and four bogeys along with nine pars, before shooting an even-par 72 in the second round that included 14 pars along with two birdies and two bogeys. Whittaker enters Tuesday’s third round in a tie for 22nd, as she shoots for her 12th top-25 finish in her last 13 tournaments.

With Takahashi and Whittaker leading the way, Nebraska sat in third place after an opening-round 284 (-4), but the Huskers slipped into a tie for sixth in a strong 12-team field after a 291 (+3) in the second round. Despite being in the middle of the pack in the team standings, the Huskers are well within striking distance of the leaders from UNLV, which closed the day at 564 (-12), just 11 strokes ahead of Nebraska’s 575 (-1).

Standing between the Huskers and the Rebels are BYU (569, -7), No. 15 SMU (571, -5), South Florida (572, -4), and the hosts from Miami (573, -3). The Huskers are tied with No. 10 Kent State at 575.

Freshman Kelli Ann Strand and junior Lindsey Thiele provided solid scores for the Huskers on Monday, tying for 32nd through the first 36 holes at 145 (+1). The duo sits just two strokes back of a tie for 21st (143). Strand began the day with a 71 (-1), before settling for a 74 (+2) in the second round. Thiele opened with a 73 (+1), before adding a 72 in the second round. Strand and Thiele’s 36 holes each featured 29 pars, three birdies and four bogeys. 

Junior Michaela Vavrova contributed rounds of 73 and 76 to enter Tuesday’s final round in a tie for 46th at 149, while freshman Ariel Gonzalez sits in a tie for 66th at 155 (76-79) while playing as an individual outside the Husker lineup.

The Hurricane Invitational will wrap up Tuesday with a final…