The Ohio women’s golf team has started off with a few tough tests during this spring season. The team began in Fountain Hills, Ariz., in the Spring Challenge Cup and fell to Bowling Green after two rounds.
Two days later, the Bobcats were set to play in the Rio Verde Collegiate Invitational in Rio Verde, Ariz. The week was set to be a 54-hole stroke play tournament at White Wing Golf Course until heavy rain cancelled the first round.
After two rounds of play, the Bobcats finished in 16th place with a combined team score of 635, trailing first place Northern Arizona, which had a team score of 597 after 36 holes.
During the first round, Ohio junior Kara Brinkmann shot the low round, carding a 74, one stroke off her career low. Brinkmann and freshman Angela Codian led the team with identical scores of 156, which tied them for 43rd place overall in the tournament.
After a full week of rest, the Bobcats traveled to Ocala, Fla., this past week to compete in the MSU Ocala Spring Invitational at Juliette Falls Golf Club.
Ohio coach Kelly Ovington said she feels the spring season has started well, but believes team-wide consistency is the key to success this season.
“The spring season started out well. We definitely gave Bowling Green a run for the Challenge Cup this year but finished just a few points short of securing the cup,” Ovington said. “In Rio Verde and Ocala, we have seen great success from individuals but we have struggled with getting four consistent scores in the 70’s this spring. In order to be competitive as a team, we need to see some other players step up.”
The team finished with a combined 949 strokes and came in 13th place. After the first 18 holes of play, Brinkmann led the field with her career-best round of 69, beating her previous best round by four strokes.
“My goal has always been to be in contention and win,” Brinkmann said. “Now that I have been at the top of the leaderboard I have experienced the emotions and mentality that come with it, it will definitely help me in the future.”
Brinkmann shot a career-best score of 225 strokes through three days and finished tied for 13th out of 82 golfers in individual stroke play.
That performance was her sixth Top 20 finish in her career. Brinkmann recorded the third best score in school history, trailing Julie Tomlinson’s 66 set at the Wachovia-Great Smokies tournament in 2005-06.
Brinkmann took all she could from this experience and says that the latter part of the first round was a tough test for her.
“I was extremely nervous walking up the fairway of my 18th hole knowing that if I parred it would be the first time I shot in the 60’s,” said Brinkmann. “I felt like I couldn’t breathe but after I made that putt for par it was pure excitement. Definitely motivation for me going forward.”
Ovington believes that this was a great stepping stone for Brinkmann.
“This tournament was a great learning opportunity for Kara. She realized that she can shoot low scores consistently,” said Ovington. “She did a fantastic job handling herself in a situation where she was leading the tournament and in contention for the individual title going into the final round.”
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