Ohio’s women’s golf team continues to improve as the season progresses, competing with the best teams in the sport. Last week in a shortened Mary Fossum Invitational, Ohio tied for ninth but improved from round one to round two. The team continued to play well as they traveled to Highland Country Club in Indianapolis for the Butler Fall Invitational, finishing tied for fourth at +52.
In the first round, Ohio shot +14. Leading the Bobcats were senior Zoe Luebbers and sophomore Katie Husted at three over. Luebbers struggled on the front nine with two bogeys and a double bogey on the second. Turning toward the back nine, she gave Ohio a one-under back nine highlighted by birdies on holes 11, 12 and 14, along with four pars.
Husted gave Ohio consistency on all 18 holes, shooting two over on the front with two birdies, two bogeys, a double bogey and four pars, while on the back finishing one over with two birdies, three bogeys and four more pars.
At four over par, sophomore Paige Treherne and junior Ally Turner built off the consistent play of Husted and Luebbers. Treherne finished an even two over on both nines with five bogeys, a birdie and 12 pars. Turner opened tournament play one under on the front nine with two birdies and six pars while on the back shooting five over with three bogeys and a double bogey.
Senior Morgan Rodgers finished five over with two bogeys and seven pars on the front nine before slowing to start the back nine with three bogeys and a double bogey on holes 10-14 before finishing on a strong note with two pars and two birdies.
At +13 was freshman Charlotte Soller, who struggled with three double bogeys and eight bogeys. Heading into the second round, the Bobcats improved by two strokes, finishing +16.
Luebbers continued to lead the way for Ohio, dropping two strokes with a two-over round. She built off a consistent front nine with two birdies and four pars, with a great back nine where she doubled her pars with eight.
Rodgers followed at three over par with a consistent round on both nines with only three bogeys and 15 pars. Falling two strokes behind at five over was Turner, who gave the Bobcats a one-under front nine with three birdies before losing that momentum on the back with five bogeys and a double bogey on the 17th.
Rounding out the core came solid rounds from Treherne at eight over and Soller at nine over. Treherne gave the Bobcats a solid four over on both nines, where costly double bogeys on holes one and 11 took her round from a possible four over to eight over.
As for Soller, she’d have a great three-over front nine with six pars and three bogeys before finishing with a 41 on the back nine with four bogeys and a double bogey on the 18th.
In the final round, the Bobcats struggled, shooting their worst round of the invitational at +22 to sit tied for fourth.
Luebbers gave the Bobcats another great two-over round, highlighted by an even front after bogeying the first hole. Luebbers fired off eight pars and a birdie on the fifth. Treherne gave her best round at three over. She played exceptionally on all 18 holes, including a great back nine, excluding a double bogey on the 18th. It would have been an even back nine with eight consecutive pars.
Rodgers finished eight over in the final round with eight bogeys and ten pars. Followed closely behind by Turner at nine over par, with a double bogey, seven bogeys and ten pars. Rounding out the group came Husted at +11 and Soller at +12.
Luebbers continues to show why she is one of the best golfers in the MAC, tying for sixth at seven over, while tying for second on average score of par 3s at one under (2.92). Treherne followed her tied for 25th at +15, where she’d tie for eighth with most birdies at seven.
Tied for 28th came veteran Rodgers at +13, subsequently by Turner in 36th at +18, then Husted tying for 45th at +20 and rounded out Soller in 77th at +34. As a team, the Bobcats placed high in several categories such as fourth on average score on par 3s (+12), sixth on average score on par 4s (+63) and tied for second on average score of par 5s (+1).
The Bobcats will look to continue their constant improvement and consistent play as they prepare for their final tournament of the fall season in Kettering, Ohio, on October 19-20 at the Dayton Flyer Invitational.
