NCAA Golf News

Wongthanavimok Leads The Way at 3-Under Par in First Round of NCAA Championship

Wongthanavimok Leads The Way at 3-Under Par in First Round of NCAA Championship


SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.The Arizona women’s golf team opened the 2023 NCAA Women’s Golf Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club with a team score of 292 (+4), which is tied for 13th after the first round.  

 

The Wildcats are making their 24th all-time appearance at the NCAA Championships and ninth in 13 seasons under head coach Laura Ianello. 

 

Freshman Nena Wongthanavimok led the Wildcats with a score of 3-under par 69 on Friday, one stroke shy of matching her season-best round of 68, which she shot in her first-ever collegiate round back in September. It is the lowest score by a Wildcat at the NCAA Championship since Bianca Pagdanganan fired a 68 in the second round at Karsten Creek G.C. in 2018.  

 

Wongthanavimok is tied for seventh on the individual leaderboard through the first 18 holes. 

 

Wongthanavimok went out in even par 36 with two birdies and two bogeys. She started the back nine with three birdies over the first four holes on her way to a 33 on the way in.  

 

“I tried to be very patient,” Wongthanavimok said. “I know the course is pretty challenging, so I tried to stick to my plan. I just tried to do what Coach Ianello said, which was be patient and give 100 percent effort. 

 

Senior Gile Bite Starkute posted a round of 73 with four birdies and five bogeys as the Wildcats made a total of 18 birdies on the first day.  

 

Carolina Melgrati played a solid opening round with two birdies and three bogeys to match Starkute’s opening 73.  

 

Freshman Julia Misemer reeled off a string of four straight birdies on the front nine from No. 4 through No. 7, including a near eagle on the par 5 seventh hole, and finished with a 5-over par 77 score.  

 

Arizona will begin its second round at 11:52 a.m. PT off No. 10 tee, once again playing alongside Oklahoma State and Virginia.  



 

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