The Gophers women’s golf team seems to be peaking at the right time and turned in its lowest team score of the season this weekend.
Minnesota shot 899 as a team over the three-round Rebel Intercollegiate, which was held at the par-72 Ole Miss Golf Course in Oxford, Miss. The Gophers shaved nine strokes off their previous team low of 908.
“We played great today,” head coach Michele Redman said after Sunday’s final round. “I’m just really proud of the ladies. … They really finished strong, and that’s what I like to see.”
The Gophers sat in ninth out of 15 teams after round two but used a strong final round of 291 to finish fifth.
“I think it was huge for us because the last tournament we had that opportunity, and we didn’t finish quite as well as we would have liked,” Redman said. “Today we did, and I think that’s going to be a great confidence booster for the girls.”
Three golfers finished in the top-20 of the 87-participant field. Carmen Laguna finished tied for 11th and shot 223, fellow freshman Anna Laorr was one shot behind and finished tied for 14th. Junior Jackie Shepherd shot 225 and finished tied for 19th. Banchalee Theinthong finished tied for 33rd and Sarinee Thitiratanakorn was tied for 59th.
“I just think they’re doing a great job, and they’re working very hard,” Redman said of Laorr and Laguna. “It’s nice to see their hard work pay off — they’re great players.”
Baylor won the Rebel Intercollegiate with a team score of 871. The Bears also had the lowest shooting individual, Jaclyn Jansen, who shot 210. Memphis’ Alex Aläng got a hole-in-one during the first round.
Minnesota has lowered its score in each of its competitions this spring after starting out the spring portion of the schedule with a last-place showing at the UCF Challenge.
“I know we’re working on the right stuff and the scores will take care of themselves if we’re working on the right stuff,” Redman said.
Minnesota will close the regular season April 21-22 at the Lady Buckeye Invitational in Columbus, Ohio.
