Sept. 17, 2012
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of Iowa women’s golf team currently sits in 14thplace after 36 holes at the Branch Law Firm Dick McGuire Invitational, hosted by the University of New Mexico. The Hawkeyes carded a two-round total of 613 (+15). Iowa’s day was highlighted by senior Kristi Cardwell’s first career hole-in-one.
“We had some strong individual performances in the first two rounds today,” head coach Megan Menzel said. “Kristi’s ace on the eighth hole was a first for her and really put a great mark on her solid play today. Shelby (Phillips) and Briana (Midkiff) also had some good strings of play.”
Cardwell used a seven iron to ace the par-3, 137-yard eighth hole during the first round of action. She carded a 72 (-1) in the first round. Cardwell made par on eight of her first nine holes, including six in a row to start. Cardwell was one-over with two holes remaining, before recording her hole-in-one.
“It’s an uphill par-3, so I couldn’t see the hole,” Cardwell said. “My parents were up by the green, and they said it hit about eight feet short and rolled in. It was pretty exciting.”
Cardwell started with pars on six of her seven holes in the second round, before recording a double bogey on the 17th hole. She bounced back with two pars and a birdie. Cardwell finished her round with back-to-back birdies on eight and nine to fire a +1 (+74). She sits tied for eighth with a two-round score of 146 (E).
Freshman Briana Midkiff and sophomore Shelby Phillips are tied for 55th place with a 155 (+9). Midkiff improved six strokes between rounds, carding a 77 (+3) over the second 18 holes. After a bogey start, Midkiff put together six-straight pars. She shot even par on the front nine, with two birdies and two bogeys.
Midkiff got off to a great start in the first round, going one-under par through her first nine holes. She collected four birdies in her first 18 holes, but found trouble on holes 4-6, finishing with a 79 (+6).
Sophomore Shelby Phillips shot rounds of 79 (+5) and 78 (+4) in day one. She drained four birdies in her second round, two on each side.
Phillips had a shaky start to her first round, going five-over par on her first nine holes. She rebounded nicely, shooting even par on her final nine to finish her first round with a score of 78 (+5). Phillips ended her first round with a stretch of six pars in a row.
Sophomore Lauren English is tied for 75th place after shooting 80 (+7) in each round for a 160 (+14). She had a consistent start to her opening round, staying at even par through her first 10 holes, carding pars on her first six holes. English wound up with an 80 (+7) in her first round of play.
In her second round, English carded nine pars and a birdie, with eight bogeys. English had a stretch of four consecutive pars from hole No. 18 thru hole No. 3.
Senior Gigi DiGrazia is alone in 80th place with a 161 (+15). She fired a first round score of 77 (+4). DiGrazia made par on 12 out of the 18 holes, including a stretch of six holes at par or better. She wrapped up day one play with an 84 (+11), carding eight pars.
Final round action at the Dick McGuire Invitational begins Tuesday with a shotgun start at 8 a.m.