Wildcats Make Way Up Leaderboard with Strong Second Round

5/19/2019 5:43:00 PM | Women's Golf

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — With the stroke play portion of the 2019 NCAA Women's Golf Championship being cut from 72 to 54 holes due to inclement weather, Northwestern put itself in contention to advance to the match play portion of the championships for the third-straight year with a strong second round Sunday.

Led by first year Kelly Su's 1-under (72), the Wildcats shot just 2-over as a team to move up to eighth at 23-over through 36 holes. Su shot 16-over in the opening round, but after the 'Cats were held off the course on Saturday due to the rain, she came out and responded with just her second round under par of the season behind five birdies.

Su was aided by senior Janet Mao, junior Brooke Riley and fellow first year Kelly Sim, who each shot 1-over (73).

NCAA Championships Team Leaderboard
NCAA Championships Individual Leaderboard

The Wildcats got off to a hot start in the second round behind back-to-back birdies on No. 1 from Su and Riley, but faced their first bit of adversity when the quintuplet of second-round scorers combined to make four bogeys and a pair of double bogeys over the next two holes. The momentum quickly shifted however thanks to the hot front-nine play of Sim.

The first year made her first birdie of the day on No. 6 only to reel off four more in a row for five-straight birdies, making the turn at 1-under and moving to 2-under on No. 10. Meanwhile, Riley made a key birdie on No. 7 to make the turn at 2-over and Su nearly made an ace on No. 8 before tapping in for birdie to make the turn at Even Par.

Su continued her strong round by sandwiching a pair of birdies on No. 11 and No. 13 around a bogey at No. 12 and responded once again with a birdie on No. 17 after a bogey on 16. She closed her round with a five-foot par to cap her fourth round of par or better this season.

While the newcomers were helping carry the load on the front nine, it was the play of upperclassmen Mao and Riley on the back nine that helped put the 'Cats in contention to advance for the third straight year. Mao was 3-over on the day and 9-over through 27 holes, but got things going with a birdie on No. 11, another on No. 13 and then stuck her second shot on the Par 5 15th to just two feet for an easy eagle. She made yet another birdie on No. 16 en route to carding a 1-over, 74.

Despite three double bogeys in the round, Riley was able to steady her play with five birdies, including on back-to-back holes down the stretch. She made her third double bogey of the day on No. 12, but took advantage of the Par 5 15th with birdie and tapped in a birdie on No. 16 after sticking her approach to three feet.

The Wildcats will play the third and final round of stroke play Monday alongside Purdue (+22; 7th) and Auburn (+24; T9th). The field will be cut to the top eight teams at the end of the third round to the match play quarterfinals on Tuesday.