Senior Gina Nuzzo plays at Drake Creek Golf Course Sept. 9.
The Murray State women’s golf team finished 10th overall in the second event of the season at the Cardinal Cup Tuesday.
Head Coach Velvet Milkman wasn’t entirely disappointed by the tournament results.
“The goal was to go in and try to finish in the top five,” Milkman said.
The Cardinal Cup hosted 17 different teams at the University of Louisville Golf Course in Simpsonville, Ky. During the first round of the tournament Monday afternoon, the Racers were in 10th place with a score of 620 with Northern Illinois trailing right behind.
The golf course in itself was one of the more challenging parts of this tournament according to Milkman.
“It was a really good golf course; it’s got some really difficult holes on it,” Milkman said.
Even with the challenge of the golf course, the team was able to compete with the other 17 teams in the Cup.
“I thought they handled that fairly well,” Milkman said.
In the final round of the tournament, the Racers totaled up to a 929 score, which kept the team in its finishing spot of 10th place overall.
Freshman Moa Folke and junior Sophie Hillier led the Racers with a pair of 35th place finishes in the field of 100 competitors. Hillier played a solid final round of 75, the fourth 75-round of her collegiate career, carding scores of 79-77-75=231 overall. Folke also carded an eagle during the 54-hole event and finished with a score of 77. Her line was 78-76-77=231.
Sophomore Sydney Trimble placed 47th overall with rounds of 78-78-78=234, while sophomore Jacklyn Van Meter placed 53rd after her rounds of 79-78-79=236. Junior Abbi Stamper carded scores of 76-81-80=237, placing 59th.
Sophomore Minta Yin entered the Cardinal Cup as an individual for the Racers and placed seventh among the other 16 solo players. She placed 67th overall with scores of 75-81-85=241.
In the field of the 17 teams, the Racers ranked fifth and carded a total of 25 birdies. Folke’s eagle on the ninth hole was the Racers only one of the tournament.
The Racers’ next scheduled tournament is the Cincinnati Invitational Oct. 6-7 at the Tournament Players Club River’s Bend in Maineville, Ohio.
“I expect us to work hard in these next two weeks and continue to get better in all aspects of our game,” Milkman said.
Story by Heath Ringstaff, Contributing writer