Northwestern University Athletics
Lau In Top-6, 'Cats In Top-4 After Lady Puerto Rico Opening Round
2/14/2016 9:44:00 PM | Women's Golf
RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico –The Wildcats scoring quartet (5-count-4 format) opened with a 2-over 290 in Sunday's first round of competition at the Lady Puerto Rico Classic, hosted by Purdue University at Rio Mar Country Club, good for a share of fourth place. Northwestern has now carded six consecutive rounds under 300 as a team in the tournament, dating back to the 2014 event.
2016 Lady Puerto Rico Classic - LIVE RESULTS
The 'Cats 290 equals the program's lowest single-round score at Rio Mar, previously set in Round 2 of the 2014 event. Northwestern did much of their damage on the River Course's longest challenges, going a tournament-best 3-under as a group on the track's Par-5 holes.
Freshman Stephanie Lau, who recorded the lowest 54-hole tournament score in Northwestern history during the fall, led the 'Cats on Sunday with a remarkably consistent opening round. The rookie opened with 12 consecutive pars, and finished with 15 total, along with a pair of birdies, en route to a 1-under 71 and a share of sixth-place after 18 holes.
Reigning Big Ten individual champion Sarah Cho tied for the team lead with four birdies and ended the day tied for 12th after an even-par 72. Cho was a tournament-best 2-under on the River Course's Par-3s, and was ranked second in the field going 2-under on the course's Par-5s. Kacie Komoto also carded four birdies, including her final two holes of the day en route to a 1-over 73, and is tied for 20th.
Reigning Big Ten Player of the Year Hannah Kim recorded a 2-over 74 to earn a share of 31st. Last season Kim was the Wildcats top finisher at Rio Mar, firing a tournament record-tying 68 in the third round to card a 2-under 214 for the event, good for second-place.
Freshman Janet Mao opened her tournament with, while senior Kaitlin Park (competing as an individual) carded an identical 79.
Monday's second round will tee off with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. ET, followed by a 7:30 a.m. ET shotgun start for Tuesday's final round.
Northwestern – T4/16 • 290-R2-R3=290 (+2)
T6 – Stephanie Lau – 71-R2-R3=71 (-1)
T12 – Sarah Cho -- 72-R2-R3=72 (E)
T20 -- Kacie Komoto -- 73-R2-R3=73 (+1)
T31 -- Hannah Kim -- 74-R2-R3=74 (+2)
T69 – Janet Mao -- 79-R2-R3=79 (+7)
T69 – Kaitlin Park* -- 79-R2-R3=79 (+7)
* - Competing as an individual
This marks the Wildcats eighth consecutive trip to the Lady Puerto Rico Classic. The team is coming off its two best performances on The River Course by Greg Norman, a 22-under 886 that secured a third-place finish in 2014, and an identical score in 2015 for a fourth-place result.
Northwestern, No. 6 in the current Golfweek Women's Team Collegiate Rankings, is competing in Puerto Rico against an elite field that includes three additional Top-10 programs, two more ranked in the Top-20, and 12 total in the Top-50.
The leaderboard features No. 5 Georgia, reigning tournament champion No. 8 Arkansas, No. 9 Kent State, No. 18 Iowa State, No. 19 Purdue, No. 27 North Carolina, No. 28 Clemson, No. 29 Louisville State, No. 40 Michigan, No. 45 TCU, No. 49 Augusta State, Auburn and Maryland.
The Wildcats are aiming to carry the momentum generated in a sparkling fall season during which they finished in the Top-4 as a group in all four tournaments, including a win at the 2015 Windy City Collegiate Classic. Northwestern (849) and Stephanie Lau (206) carded the lowest 54-hole scores in program history at the Mason Rudolph Championship in September, and three different Wildcats (Lau, Kacie Komoto, Sarah Cho) were recognized as the Big Ten Golfer Of The Week during the fall.
2016 Lady Puerto Rico Classic - LIVE RESULTS
The 'Cats 290 equals the program's lowest single-round score at Rio Mar, previously set in Round 2 of the 2014 event. Northwestern did much of their damage on the River Course's longest challenges, going a tournament-best 3-under as a group on the track's Par-5 holes.
Freshman Stephanie Lau, who recorded the lowest 54-hole tournament score in Northwestern history during the fall, led the 'Cats on Sunday with a remarkably consistent opening round. The rookie opened with 12 consecutive pars, and finished with 15 total, along with a pair of birdies, en route to a 1-under 71 and a share of sixth-place after 18 holes.
Reigning Big Ten individual champion Sarah Cho tied for the team lead with four birdies and ended the day tied for 12th after an even-par 72. Cho was a tournament-best 2-under on the River Course's Par-3s, and was ranked second in the field going 2-under on the course's Par-5s. Kacie Komoto also carded four birdies, including her final two holes of the day en route to a 1-over 73, and is tied for 20th.
Reigning Big Ten Player of the Year Hannah Kim recorded a 2-over 74 to earn a share of 31st. Last season Kim was the Wildcats top finisher at Rio Mar, firing a tournament record-tying 68 in the third round to card a 2-under 214 for the event, good for second-place.
Freshman Janet Mao opened her tournament with, while senior Kaitlin Park (competing as an individual) carded an identical 79.
Monday's second round will tee off with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. ET, followed by a 7:30 a.m. ET shotgun start for Tuesday's final round.
Northwestern – T4/16 • 290-R2-R3=290 (+2)
T6 – Stephanie Lau – 71-R2-R3=71 (-1)
T12 – Sarah Cho -- 72-R2-R3=72 (E)
T20 -- Kacie Komoto -- 73-R2-R3=73 (+1)
T31 -- Hannah Kim -- 74-R2-R3=74 (+2)
T69 – Janet Mao -- 79-R2-R3=79 (+7)
T69 – Kaitlin Park* -- 79-R2-R3=79 (+7)
* - Competing as an individual
This marks the Wildcats eighth consecutive trip to the Lady Puerto Rico Classic. The team is coming off its two best performances on The River Course by Greg Norman, a 22-under 886 that secured a third-place finish in 2014, and an identical score in 2015 for a fourth-place result.
Northwestern, No. 6 in the current Golfweek Women's Team Collegiate Rankings, is competing in Puerto Rico against an elite field that includes three additional Top-10 programs, two more ranked in the Top-20, and 12 total in the Top-50.
The leaderboard features No. 5 Georgia, reigning tournament champion No. 8 Arkansas, No. 9 Kent State, No. 18 Iowa State, No. 19 Purdue, No. 27 North Carolina, No. 28 Clemson, No. 29 Louisville State, No. 40 Michigan, No. 45 TCU, No. 49 Augusta State, Auburn and Maryland.
The Wildcats are aiming to carry the momentum generated in a sparkling fall season during which they finished in the Top-4 as a group in all four tournaments, including a win at the 2015 Windy City Collegiate Classic. Northwestern (849) and Stephanie Lau (206) carded the lowest 54-hole scores in program history at the Mason Rudolph Championship in September, and three different Wildcats (Lau, Kacie Komoto, Sarah Cho) were recognized as the Big Ten Golfer Of The Week during the fall.
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