Just as the semester comes to an end, so must golf season. The women’s golf team took their clubs to Lakewood, Wash. on April 18-20 to participate in the their final tournament of the season, the WAC Championship, where they placed third out of eight teams.
Round one started just the way the Wolverines wanted, first place at 5-over-par as a team. Junior Kaylee Shimizu started out her first nine holes with three birdies and ended the 18-hole round carding an even par 71. She ended the day tied for fourth place and led the way for the Wolverines into day two where she climbed three spots on the leaderboard in a three-way tie for first place.
“Our team played well on a challenging golf course. We stayed patient and strong through some difficult stretches of holes,” head UVU coach Sue Nyhus said.
Day two dropped the Wolverines down to third place, 20-over-par right behind New Mexico State at 19-over-par and Seattle University, 18-over-par. Senior Carly Dehlin Hirsch and freshman Nathalie Irlbach ended the day in the top 10, both tied for 10th place at 7-over-par. The team as a whole shot 10-over-par worse than the first round from 289 to 299, which is what resulted in them dropping to third place.
Day two dropped the Wolverines down to third place, 20-over-par right behind New Mexico State at 19-over-par and Seattle University, 18-over-par. Senior Carly Dehlin Hirsch and freshman Nathalie Irlbach ended the day in the top 10, both tied for 10th place at 7-over-par. The team as a whole shot 10-over-par worse than the first round from 289 to 299, which is what resulted in them dropping to third place.
Round three is where the tables really started to turn for UVU. The team carded one stroke worse than the day before, a 300, which ended in a final total of 888, three strokes behind the lead 885. Dehlin Hirsch finished the tournament with two birdies, an eagle and two bogeys, resulting in a score of 2-under-par for the final round. The eagle came on hole 14, a 456 yard par-5, where she carded birdie in the first two rounds. 2-under-par brought her up to third place and a total on the tournament of 218, 5-over-par.
“I’m so proud of my team. They gave it all they had and were in the hunt to the very last shot, as they truly battled the elements and tough course conditions all day long,” coach Nyhus said. “And what a fitting ending to a storied college career for Carly by shooting 69 on the final day with an epic up and down from the practice putting green on the 18th hole. I’m disappointed yet so proud of these Wolverines.”
Irlbach finished the weekend carding 226 which put her tied for 16th place, Shimizu dropped to seventh place carding a total 220. Sophomore Keila Baladad and junior Kate Williamson also participated in the tournament. Baladad carded a total 228, tied for 21st place and Williamson carded 240, tied for 39th place.
Photo courtesy of UVU Athletics
