THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa women’s golf team heads to Chandler, Arizona, for a head-to-head matchup against Colorado on Monday. The event, which is the Hawkeyes’ first competition of the spring season, will be played at the Ocotillo Golf Club.
THE FORMAT
The two teams will play a 18-hole points stroke play scrimmage in Arizona. Eight players will be paired up against one another. There will be one point awarded on the front nine, one on the back nine and an overall point for the 18-hole round. Players can halve points for ties.
THE LINEUP
The Hawkeyes will travel with all eight players on the 2023 spring roster.
THE FIELD
Iowa will compete against the Buffaloes, who are ranked 71st in the Golfstat rankings. Colorado is led by head coach Anne Kelly and a trio of underclassmen in freshman Morgan Miller and sophomores Natalie Vo and Lauren Gooding.
THE COURSE
Ocotillo Golf Club Course received a 4 1/2 star review from Golf Digest and was voted one of the best places to play in the state of Arizona. This course features scenic waterfalls and countless lakes throughout all 18 holes. It offers a 27 hole-experience with three nine hole sections on the gold, blue, and white courses. The course was designed by Ted Robinson, Sr., who has designed golf courses all over the United States and several in eastern Asia.
FRESHMEN SHINE IN FALL
A trio of Hawkeye freshmen – Shannyn Vogler, Riley Lewis and Madison Dabagia – led the way during the fall season. Lewis paces the team with a 74.77 scoring average over nine rounds, while Vogler ranks second on the team with a 75.48 average. The trio had their best performance of the fall at the Ron Moore Intercollegiate on Oct. 17-18, where Lewis tied for 15th, Vogler tied for 22nd and Dabagia tied for 25th. The best individual performance came in Lewis’ final round 68.
LAST TIME
The Hawkeyes finished 15th at the Marilynn Sunflower Invitational, finishing with a 45-hole total of 805 (328-319-158). (The tournament was shortened due to weather.) Sophomore Paula Miranda, led the way with a 196 (+16) (81-77-38) to finish tied for 33rd. She tallied six birdies with two coming in her final nine holes where she shot a 38 (+2). As a team, the Hawkeyes tallied 15 birdies in their two and half round outing.
ON THE DOCKET
The Hawkeyes have six spring tournaments before they head to Pittsburgh for the 2023 Big Ten Championships. The team will travel coast-to-coast, hitting Louisiana, Arizona, Florida, South Carolina and California before heading north for their final regular season tournament at the Lady Buckeye Invitational from April 15-16 in Columbus, Ohio.
LOOKING AHEAD
Iowa will head south for their first tournament from Feb. 12-14, traveling to New Orleans for the Tulane Classic presented by Chad Brownstein.
