Northwestern University Athletics
Mao Tames Karsten Creek To Open NCAA Championships
5/18/2018 7:55:00 PM | Women's Golf
STILLWATER, Okla. – In an opening round where only 7.5% of the field finished under par, Janet Mao roared to a 4-under 68 on Friday at the 2018 NCAA Women's Golf Championships, hosted at Karsten Creek Golf Club. The junior wrapped up the day in sole possession of second-place, leading Northwestern into the Top-6 after 18 holes at the demanding course.
2018 NCAA Championships – LIVE Leaderboard (via Golfstat)
Tournament Central
Karsten Creek Golf Club
Mao birdied three of her first four holes, and three of her final five holes, on the way to leading the field with seven total birdies in Round 1. Along the way, she carded birdies on both No. 3, which surrendered only four birdies on Friday, and No. 17, which granted only five all day.
She capped her round by starting a superb finishing kick for the Wildcats with a birdie on No. 18, a hole Stephanie Lau and Hannah Kim both birdied right behind her to take Northwestern from 14-over to 11-over in a matter of minutes to wrap up the round.
Led by the junior, Northwestern finished the first day of competition in sole possession of sixth-place at 11-over, eight strokes off the lead and eight strokes above the 54-hole cut line.
Karsten Creek Golf Club, home to the 2018 NCAA Men's and Women's Golf Championships over the next two weeks, lived up to its reputation as one of the most difficult courses in college golf. Only ten of the 132 student-athletes in the field finished Round 1 under par, and all 24 teams were above par. The average score for the day was 77.12, more than five strokes over par.
Northwestern will be paired with the Florida Gators and Arizona State Sun Devils again for Round 2. The trio will tee off beginning at 8:36 a.m. CT. Brooke Riley will get the Wildcats started, followed in 11-minute increments by Sarah Cho, Lau, Kim and Mao.
Northwestern – 6/24 • 299-R2-R3-R4 = 299 (+11)
2 – Janet Mao – 68-R2-R3-R4 = 68 (-4)
T35 – Hannah Kim -- 75-R2-R3-R4 = 75 (+3)
T76 – Stephanie Lau – 78-R2-R3-R4 = 78 (+6)
T76 – Sarah Cho -- 78-R2-R3-R4 = 78 (+6)
T129 – Brooke Riley -- 87-R2-R3-R4 = 87 (+15)
Karsten Creek Golf Club will host the 2018 NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Golf Championships May 17-30. Karsten Creek has previously hosted the NCAA Men's Golf Championship in 2003 and 2011. 2018 will mark the first time that Karsten Creek has played host to the NCAA Women's Golf Championship.
Former Oklahoma State golf coach and current athletic direction Mike Holder partnered with renowned golf course designer Tom Fazio to construct one of the most challenging golf courses in the country. When it opened in 1994, Karsten Creek was named "Best New Course" in the country by Golf Digest. The zoysia fairways were cut from a forest of oaks and black jacks, complemented by an undulating terrain that flows throughout the course. The back-nine cascades around the 110-acre Lake Louise that is featured on the finishing holes. The over-seeded rough, greens that make the ball roll as if on glass and intense Oklahoma winds sweeping down the fairways make the course perplexing even for some of the world's top amateur golfers.
2018 NCAA Women's Golf Championships Schedule
Thursday: Practice Round (Shotgun start at 9:30 a.m.)
Friday: Opening Round (Stroke play, start at 7:30 a.m.)
Saturday: Second Round (Stroke play, start at 7:30 a.m.)
Sunday: Third Round (Stroke play, start at 7:30 a.m.)
(Top 15 team & 9 individuals advance)
Monday: Final Round (Stroke play, start at 11:30 a.m.)
(Individual National Champion & 8 advancing teams determined)
Tuesday: Match-Play Quarterfinals (7 a.m.) & Semifinals (1:30 p.m.)
Wednesday: Match-Play Championship (2:25 p.m.)
2018 NCAA Championships – LIVE Leaderboard (via Golfstat)
Tournament Central
Karsten Creek Golf Club
Mao birdied three of her first four holes, and three of her final five holes, on the way to leading the field with seven total birdies in Round 1. Along the way, she carded birdies on both No. 3, which surrendered only four birdies on Friday, and No. 17, which granted only five all day.
She capped her round by starting a superb finishing kick for the Wildcats with a birdie on No. 18, a hole Stephanie Lau and Hannah Kim both birdied right behind her to take Northwestern from 14-over to 11-over in a matter of minutes to wrap up the round.
Recap of No. 1??8??:
— Northwestern Golf (@NUGolf_Live) May 19, 2018
Janet Mao: ??
Steph Lau: ??
Hannah Kim: ??
'Cats finish Round 1 tied for sixth. ????
LIVE Leaderboard
??https://t.co/Z1cJOfmcby#B1GCats | #NCAAGolf pic.twitter.com/2FbzNg5TWd
Led by the junior, Northwestern finished the first day of competition in sole possession of sixth-place at 11-over, eight strokes off the lead and eight strokes above the 54-hole cut line.
Karsten Creek Golf Club, home to the 2018 NCAA Men's and Women's Golf Championships over the next two weeks, lived up to its reputation as one of the most difficult courses in college golf. Only ten of the 132 student-athletes in the field finished Round 1 under par, and all 24 teams were above par. The average score for the day was 77.12, more than five strokes over par.
The weather at @KarstenCreek as we begin. It's hot in the sun, but downright comfortable in the shade because of the stiff breeze whispering across the course. #B1GCats | #NCAAGolf pic.twitter.com/kq5qU7XQ2F
— Northwestern Golf (@NUGolf_Live) May 18, 2018
Northwestern will be paired with the Florida Gators and Arizona State Sun Devils again for Round 2. The trio will tee off beginning at 8:36 a.m. CT. Brooke Riley will get the Wildcats started, followed in 11-minute increments by Sarah Cho, Lau, Kim and Mao.
Northwestern – 6/24 • 299-R2-R3-R4 = 299 (+11)
2 – Janet Mao – 68-R2-R3-R4 = 68 (-4)
T35 – Hannah Kim -- 75-R2-R3-R4 = 75 (+3)
T76 – Stephanie Lau – 78-R2-R3-R4 = 78 (+6)
T76 – Sarah Cho -- 78-R2-R3-R4 = 78 (+6)
T129 – Brooke Riley -- 87-R2-R3-R4 = 87 (+15)
Karsten Creek Golf Club will host the 2018 NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Golf Championships May 17-30. Karsten Creek has previously hosted the NCAA Men's Golf Championship in 2003 and 2011. 2018 will mark the first time that Karsten Creek has played host to the NCAA Women's Golf Championship.
Former Oklahoma State golf coach and current athletic direction Mike Holder partnered with renowned golf course designer Tom Fazio to construct one of the most challenging golf courses in the country. When it opened in 1994, Karsten Creek was named "Best New Course" in the country by Golf Digest. The zoysia fairways were cut from a forest of oaks and black jacks, complemented by an undulating terrain that flows throughout the course. The back-nine cascades around the 110-acre Lake Louise that is featured on the finishing holes. The over-seeded rough, greens that make the ball roll as if on glass and intense Oklahoma winds sweeping down the fairways make the course perplexing even for some of the world's top amateur golfers.
How lovely is this @KarstenCreek finishing stretch? Up one side of Lake Louise on 1??7?? and back down the other for 1??8??.
— Northwestern Golf (@NUGolf_Live) May 19, 2018
LIVE Leaderboard
??https://t.co/Z1cJOfmcby#B1GCats | #NCAAGolf pic.twitter.com/yML42kPlTh
2018 NCAA Women's Golf Championships Schedule
Thursday: Practice Round (Shotgun start at 9:30 a.m.)
Friday: Opening Round (Stroke play, start at 7:30 a.m.)
Saturday: Second Round (Stroke play, start at 7:30 a.m.)
Sunday: Third Round (Stroke play, start at 7:30 a.m.)
(Top 15 team & 9 individuals advance)
Monday: Final Round (Stroke play, start at 11:30 a.m.)
(Individual National Champion & 8 advancing teams determined)
Tuesday: Match-Play Quarterfinals (7 a.m.) & Semifinals (1:30 p.m.)
Wednesday: Match-Play Championship (2:25 p.m.)
••••••
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