The Idaho women’s golf team moved up the leaderboard in its final round at the Colonel Wollenberg’s Ptarmigan Ram Classic, on Tuesday in Fort Collins, Colo. The team shot a 291 collectively in the final round, a score that moved the Vandals to a sixth-place finish at the Classic and tied them for the fourth-best round overall at the tournament.
“The course was very scoreable today,” Idaho coach Lisa Johnson said. “We could fire right at the flag. Leilanie and Rachel both did that. They played very well.”
Leading the way for the Vandals was junior Leilanie Kim, who finished tied for fifth overall, shooting an even par for the tournament.
Right behind her was senior Rachel Choi, who finished four- over-par, and was tied for 12th. Other notables were Cassie McKinley, finishing 16-over-par at a tie for 48th, Kristin Strankman finishing 21-over-par at a tie for 62nd and Kaitlyn Oster, finishing 24-over-par at a tie for 71st overall.
“We learned a lot about our game under pressure,” Johnson said. “I’m happy with how we finished.”
The Vandals are looking to grow on their solid finish in Colorado on Monday and Tuesday, when they travel to Minneapolis, Minn., to compete in the Minneapolis Invitational.
This will mark the first time the women’s golf team travels to Minnesota to compete in the tournament.
The Minneapolis Invitational will be held at the prestigious Minikahda Club, which played host to the 1916 U.S. Open.
Minnesota’s reputation for cold weather shouldn’t be a factor on Monday with temperatures expected to be in the mid to low 70s.
The Vandals will be joined by 11 other schools at the tournament, which include the host Minnesota, Illinois, Nebraska, Texas State, Kent State, San Diego State, California-Irvine, Cal-State Fullerton, Long Beach State, Jacksonville and Georgia Regents.
Korbin McDonald
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