New Mexico Lobos Women’s Golf at the 2014 Betsy Rawls Longhorn Invitational
Where: University of Texas Golf Club – Austin, Texas.
Second-Round Team Leaders: 1- UNLV 284-314=598. 2- Baylor 288-311=599. 2 (tie)- SMU 286-313=599. 4- Tulane 291-314=605. 5- San Diego State 299-312=612.
Individual Leaders: 1- Haley Davis, Baylor, 65-75=140. 2- Dana Finkelstein, UNLV, 67-76=143. 3- Alexandra Rossi, SMU, 66-78=144.
AUSTIN, Texas – A while back, New Mexico’s Championship Course used to be nicknamed “The Monster,” especially so when the winds were whipping across the links. On Monday in Texas, the Lobos ran into another “Monster” — the University of Texas Golf Club.
“High winds wreaked havoc on just about everyone’s scorecard,” said Lobo Coach Jill Trujillo. “There were gusts over 40 miles-per-hour. Being a good, bad-weather player is something that comes with experience and we got broken in (to bad weather) today.”
The Lobos shot a team card of 311 on Sunday and skied to 333 on Monday to remain in 14th place, 18 shots ahead of UC Irvine in the 15-team field. Eva Saulnier was the only Lobo to crack the 80 mark as the sophomore carded a 79.
To put some perspective on what the wind did to scorecards on Monday, consider these highlights – or low lights:
- UNLV’s second-round card of 314 was 30 shots worse than the Rebels’ first-round score and the Rebels still maintain the team lead going into Tuesday’s final round.
- UNLV’s Dana Finkelstein shot a 76 on Monday and actually moved up the leaderboard into second place.
- First-round leader Hayley Davis of Baylor shot a 75, but still leads the individual race by three shots.
- Texas, on its home course, was 32 shots worse on Monday.
- There was only one team out of 15, Miami, which was able to improve its score from Sunday (307 to 306) which allowed Miami to jump from 13th place into sixth place.
- On Sunday, there were seven golfers in the 60s and on Monday the best individual card was 74. Texas’ Bertine Strauss shot a 69 on Sunday and shot an 83 on Monday.
“Alexandra (Moisand) and (Emma) Hendrickson (SDSU) were the only two golfers in the entire field to shoot even-par on the front nine,” said Trujillo. Moisand did that with nine pars. She only had three pars on the back nine to go 36-48=84. Moisand began her day off the No. 10 tee, so the UNM freshman made a major adjustment to the conditions.
Baylor’s Davis has the lead by three shots over UNLV’s Finkelstein. SMU’s Alexandra Rossi is within reach four shots off the lead and Indiana’s Elizabeth Tong and UNLV’s Harley Dubsky are five shots off Davis’ pace.
The Rebels of the Mountain West have a one shot lead over Baylor and SMU: 598 to 599. All ten golfers on UNLV’s roster and Baylor’s roster added strokes to their scorecards on Monday. SMU’s Rossi went from a 66 to a 78.