Idaho Woman’s Golf is off to a strong start this year after three tournaments.
The Vandals played in the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational (Sept. 10-11), the Ptarmigan Ram Classic (Sept. 17-19) and the Coeur d’Alene Invitational (Sept. 24-25) to start off their season.
The Vandals started off tied for 10th place on the first tournament of the season and finished in fifth and third places in the following tournaments, respectively.
Senior Sophie Hausmann finished individually in fifth place with a 3-under 69-71-73 to start off her season.
Freshman Vicky Tsai shot just 6-over in her first collegiate tournament and shot solid numbers across the board with a 75-76-71. Tsai ended up tying for 37thindividually.
Vandals finished shooting just 21-over securing them the 10th place finish at the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational to start off their season.
The Vandals were back at it again the next week at the Ptarmigan Ram Classic in Fort Collins.
Hausmann led the team again shooting just 1-over total. She shot a total of 35 pars, one eagle and only one hole over bogey for all three rounds, securing her an eighth-place finish individually.
Sophomore Valeria Patino was right behind her, shooting 3-over to card the lowest score for Idaho with a 3-under 69 in the second round. Her performance secured her second top-10 individual finish of her career, as she tied for 10th place.
Kim finished with just 10-over and improved every round she played carding 77-75-74.
Idaho finished fifth out of 13 teams, just 11 strokes behind the leader Boise State.
The Vandals were looking for more the next week at the Coeur d’Alene Collegiate.
Kim carded the lowest score for Idaho with a 1-over 214, 71-72-71, which secured her a fifth-place finish individually. She carded eight birdies this tournament, earning her the Big Sky Conference Co-Women’s Golfer of the Week title. This is her fourth time earning the accolade in her collegiate career.
Hausmann was just one stroke behind Kim, after carding the Vandal-low, with a 68 in the second round. She finished tied for eighth place individually, bringing home two top-10 finishes for Idaho.
Right behind them was Patino, carding a 4-over 217, 73-71-73. She finished tied for 13th place individually and hit nine birdies overall — more than any other Vandal for the tournament.
The Vandal’s strong display of golf secured them a third-place finish, just 19-over total. The team was only 13 strokes behind the leader, Illinois.
Idaho takes a short break before returning to the course for the Ron Moore Women’s Intercollegiate beginning Friday (Oct. 5) in Highlands Ranch, Colorado.
Connor Swersey can be reached at [email protected]