Strand Storms to Lead in Oklahoma – University of Nebraska

Kelli Ann Strand unleashed a spectacular round of 66 (-6) to storm to the top of the leader board through 36 holes at the Dale McNamara Invitational on Monday.

Strand, a sophomore from Challis, Idaho, recorded six birdies to go with 12 pars in Monday’s second round on the par-72, 6,246-yard layout at the Golf Club of Oklahoma in Broken Arrow. It followed an opening-round 70 (-2) for Strand that included five birdies, 10 pars and three bogeys.

The All-Big Ten golfer closed the day at 136 (-8) to sit in a tie for first with South Florida’s Melanie Green, who carded rounds of 72 and 64. The second rounds for Green and Strand were the best rounds of the day among the 86 golfers in the field.

Strand helped the Huskers to a tie for fifth in the 14-team field through the first 36 holes at 583 (+7). Nebraska bounced back from an opening-round 301 (+13) for a 282 (-6) in the second round, which was the second-best round of the day for any team, trailing only South Florida’s second-round 279.

The hosts from Tulsa own the top position in the team standings at 568 (-8), following rounds of 283 and 285. South Florida sits three shots back at 571, while Colorado State is third at 573 (-3). UTSA enters the final round in fourth at 574 (-2), while the Huskers sit in a tie with Sam Houston State in a tie for fifth at 583 (+7).

Senior Michaela Vavrova (Bojnice, Slovakia) helped the Huskers climb the team standings in the second round with an even-par 72, after an opening-round 74. She enters Tuesday’s final round in a tie for 23rd at 146 (+2).

Defending tournament champion Miu Takahashi (Nasu-machi, Japan) bounced back from an 82 in the first round to card a 69 (-3) over the second round, which included an eagle on the 489-yard, par-5 13th hole. She ended the day in a tie for 53rd with Husker teammate Lena Hassert (Kreuzau, Germany), who managed rounds of 76 and 75 to finish the day at 151 (+7).

Freshman Arden Louchheim, whose opening-round 81 counted toward Nebraska’s team score, recorded a 76 in the second round to end the day at 157 in 76th place.

Junior Andrea Velez (Pereira, Colombia), who is competing as an individual outside Nebraska’s lineup, posted rounds of 74 and 75 to close Monday in a tie for 42nd at 149.

The Dale McNamara Invitational concludes with the final round on Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. Live scoring will be available from GolfStat on Huskers.com.

Dale McNamara Invitational
Oct. 9-10, 2023
Broken Arrow, Okla.
Golf Club of Oklahoma (Par 72, 6,246 Yards)

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