This past week, the NDSU Women’s Golf team headed down to Maricopa, Arizona, to play in the Wyoming Cowgirl Classic. 15 other schools would participate in the late-season tournament. The three-round tournament was held over a period of two days this past Wednesday and Thursday. The Iowa State Cyclones would take first place with a total score of 867 compared to the Bisons’ 915. Karisa Chul-Ak-Sorn of ISU would take first place with an impressive 214(-2).
On day one in Arizona, the Bison would shoot 311(+23) in round one and a 304(+16) in round two. On the second day, the Bison continued to improve their score, posting a flat 300(+12) to finish the tournament tied with Wyoming for eighth place. Leading the way on the opening day of the tournament would be Norah Roberts. Roberts would shoot a 75(+3) on the opening day with three birdies. She would tack on another three birdies in the closing frame of day 1 as she would improve her score to an even 72. This would be the only time a Bison would shoot even or under par in the entire tournament. On the second day and final round, Roberts would place second for the Bison with a 75(+3) to finish six over par. Roberts would place tied for 13th overall in the field.
Placing second overall for the Bison would be Elise Hoven with her 229(+13). In the first round, Hoven finished three strokes behind Roberts with a 78(+6). In round two, Hoven finished one stroke better than her previous score with a 77(+5). Hoven shot a total of three birdies throughout the opening 36 holes. Finally, in the last 18 holes, Hoven shot a team-best 74(+2) to end the tournament. She would end the tournament in a tie for 32nd place.
Cora Larson would finish third overall for North Dakota State’s Women’s Golf team. She would finish the penultimate tournament in a tie for 37th place with a score of 231 (+15). Like Hoven before her, she would improve every round, starting with a score of 81(+9) in round one. Then recovered with a five-stroke improvement up to a 76(+4) in the second round. She sat in 41st place before jumping up to 37th as she shot a 74(+2), tying Hoven for the second-lowest score on day two.
Hannah Dunk would be fourth on the Bison leaderboard with a 235(+19). Dunk would place tied for 50th overall. On day one she would shoot a 78(+6) to tie Hoven for second in the Bison rankings. However, in the late frame, she would drop her score down to an 80(+8). To sit in a tie for 44th place after day one. She would end her tournament with her best score yet with a 77(+5), but in a tight day two this would drop her down to 50th.
Finally, Madi Hicks would finish in a tie for 52nd overall with an 80(+8), in round one and a 79(+7) to sit in 52nd place at the end of day one. Unable to climb the rankings with her 77(+5) to stay in place at the end of the tournament. Avery Bartels would also participate in the tournament as an individual and would shoot a 78(+6) in round one, an 81(+9) in round two, and would end the tournament with an impressive 75(+3) to finish with a score of 234(+18).
Women’s Golf has one more tournament left this season with the Stampede at the Creek coming up this week. After this, they will head to the Summit League Championship.