Women’s golf places second at invitational

Augustana’s women’s  golf team is off to a successful start of its spring season, placing second in each of its three conferences so far.

The team won second place at both the Augustana Spring Fling in California on March 9-10 with 612 points and at the Midwest Intercollegiate Invite in Missouri on March 20-21 with 627 points. Senior Molly Stevens won first at the invite in a two-hole playoff.

“I bogeyed two of my last three holes, so I was one over par and missing a couple of short puts that should have gone in,” Stevens said. “We played it the first time and we both missed. In our second shot she put it in the water and I made it on the green.”

Stevens recorded 153 strokes in the tournament, finishing 8-up in the first round with 78 strokes and  5-up in the second round with 75 strokes.

“The team is getting better, and that is my goal, to have the team improve on an individual basis,”  head coach Coralee Jorgensen said. “Golf starts as an individual game. You have to take care of yourself first and foremost on the course, then it becomes the team game.”

This is Stevens’ third individual tournament win of the year. She was named NSIC Golfer of the Week for the fourth time.

Also at the Midwest Intercollegiate Invite, junior Lauren Tims placed fourth with 155 strokes.

“I’m just happy to be out and enjoying the weather, playing with my team,” Tims said. “Coming off of fall, we have really big goals to make a run at nationals.”

On April 3-4, the teamcontinued its success when it placed second overall out of 15 teams at the Newman Invitational in Kansas.

“Our team dynamics are incredible,” Jorgensen said. “They are absolutely an extension of my family, and I feel like it goes the other way.”

The team totaled 581 strokes, the lowest for the season, but the golfers all individually placed in the top 25. Stevens placed the highest, with a tie for ninth.

“Every practice, we focus on getting better and also helping each other, too, so if someone is struggling, we pick each other up so we can all improve,” Tims said.

The team will be hosting the Augustana Invite on April 14-15 at Bakker Crossing near Sioux Falls.