With the Big Ten Championships on the horizon, Minnesota tried to build up momentum Tuesday as the team ends its regular season and heads into the postseason.
But competition at the Silverado Showdown in Napa, Calif., proved to be too much as the Gophers finished in 13th, shooting 67-over par (310-312-309—931).
Oregon took the crown with a team total 25-over par.
“We’ve got some work to do,” head coach Michele Redman said. “No one is happy with the way they played.”
After the first two rounds on Monday, the Gophers were in 12th place with senior Carmen Laguna in a tie for 10th. The next day, she shot two rounds of 2-over par to lead Minnesota. And when the final round finished, she shot a 9-over par (74-74-77—225) to put her in a tie for 20th.
The Gophers’ other four golfers struggled in their first two rounds, as sophomore Emie Peronnin and freshman Celia Kuenster finished in a tie for 35th at 11-over par for second on the team.
Close behind Laguna was Peronnin, posting a 13-over par (78-77-74—229) that tied her for 32nd. Peronnin shot the team’s lowest score Tuesday — 2-over par — after shooting 5-over and 6-over par rounds the day before.
“She is just a sophomore, but she is on the verge of being very consistent,” Redman said.
Kuenster’s struggles continued. She finished in a tie for 66th, shooting a 24-over par (78-77-85—240).
“It’s a long season, and she’s only a freshman,” Redman said. “She’s not going to play well all the time, but she just needs to go through the process.”
After leading the Gophers in the last two tournaments, senior Anna Laorr finished the tournament’s first day at 23-over par.
She rebounded in the third round on Tuesday, shooting a 4-over par 76 to finish in 70th place at 27-over par (80-87-76–243).
Senior Sarinee Thitiratanakorn finished 32nd as an individual competitor in the previous tournament she played, which was the team’s second best. But at the Silverado Showdwon, she competed in the team portion, finishing at 33-over par (83-84-82–249) and tying for 73rd place.
