Megan Whittaker shot an opening-round 72 to lead the Nebraska women’s golf team on the first day at the NCAA Raleigh Regional at the Lonnie Poole Golf Course on Monday.
Whittaker, a graduate student from Elkhorn, Neb., produced three birdies to go along with 12 pars while managing three bogeys for an even-par 72 on the 6,324-yard layout at North Carolina State. Her steady performance helped put Nebraska in ninth place with a 296 (+8) in the five-count-four scoring format after the first 18 holes at the 12-team regional.
“We fought hard to bring in a good score today,” Nebraska Head Coach Jeanne Sutherland said. “The focus and shot-making were both very good on a tough golf course.”
Freshman Kelli Ann Strand rallied from a rough start over her first six holes (+3) to play her final 12 holes at one-under-par with 11 pars and a birdie during the stretch in her first NCAA appearance. Strand (Challis, Idaho) closed the day in a tie for 34th with a 74 (+2), alongside Husker sophomore Miu Takahashi. Like Strand, Takahashi (Nasu-machi, Japan) was three-over through the first six holes but responded with four birdies over the next six holes. Takahashi was even through 14 but settled for a pair of bogeys and two pars over the final four holes of her round.
Lindsey Thiele accounted for Nebraska’s fourth and final counting score of the day with a 76 (+4). The junior from Wahoo, Neb., played both the front and back nines at two-over. She enters Tuesday’s second round in a tie for 46th in the 66-player field.
Michaela Vavrova completed Nebraska’s contingent on Monday with a 78 (+6). The junior from Bojnice, Slovakia opened the day on No. 10 and was six-over-par on the back nine before responding with an even-par 36 on the front nine. Nebraska’s five-player lineup completed the back nine at +12, while playing the front at +2.
The hosts from North Carolina State jumped to the lead after the first round with a 282 (-6). No. 14 Florida State sits one shot back at 283 (-5), while No. 11 Arizona State is hot on FSU’s heels at 284 (-4). Arizona heads to the second round in fourth at 286 (-2), while Purdue sits in fifth at 287 (-1).
The top five teams in each of the six NCAA regionals will advance to the 30-team NCAA Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club (May 19-24) in Scottsdale, Ariz. Tuesday’s second round of the NCAA Raleigh Regional…
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