Spring golf back in action for women’s golf team

The Utah Valley women’s golf team kicked off their spring season a week later than expected after inclement weather cancelled their true opening. A trip to Phoenix, Arizona for the Grand Canyon Women’s Spring Invitational allowed the Wolverines to show off their skills and place sixth out of 14 teams.

Par for the course was 72 over roughly 6,050 yards for the two-day event on Saturday, Feb. 22 through Sunday, Feb. 23. 

A five-person team consisted of freshmen Lauren Taylor and Victoria Estrada, sophomore Nathalie Irlbacher, and seniors Kaylee Shimizu and Katie Williamson. Two other UVU golfers participated in the tournament as individuals — juniors Keila Baladad and Bailey Henley. 

Taylor led the way for the Wolverines, carding an impressive 148 over two rounds and landing in a two-way tie for 16th place. She played two nearly even rounds, carding one birdie in the first round, compared to three bogeys or double-bogeys at three-over-par. Her second round consisted of three bogeys that she countered with two birdies, one-over-par. 

Shimizu and Irlbacher landed in a four-way tie for 32nd place at eight-over-par. Estrada, Williamson and Baladad carded nine-over-par and tied for 36th place along with six other golfers. Henley carded a 14-over-par along with two other golfers for 61st place. 

Fellow WAC competitors Grand Canyon, Seattle and CSU Bakersfield also participated in the tournament. GCU dominated their own event, carding an even 576. SU finished fourth at 20-over-par 596. CSUB landed in the back of the pack, carding 62-over-par 638 as a team in 14th place.

A local Utah school, Southern Utah University, tied for eighth place carding 27-over-par, while UVU carded 601 as a team which results in a scorecard of 27-over-par for sixth place. 

The individual leader of the tournament came for the host school GCU to go along with their team win. Junior Alexis Linam took the solo first place win, with an impressive score of six-under-par 138.

The Wolverines will return to Utah for their next tournament March 9-10, when they participate in the 54-hole BYU at Entrata Classic in St. George.