RIO GRANDE, P.R. – Starting the spring strong, Momo Sugiyama fired a bogey-free 67 (-5) to sit atop the leaderboard and pace No. 22 Purdue in the opening round of the Purdue Puerto Rico Classic. Sugiyama played the par 4s better than any golfer in the field (-3) to grab the clubhouse lead with two rounds remaining.
As a team, the Boilermakers find themselves in sixth place at 3-over, eight shots back of No. 11 LSU (-5). Purdue ended the first round even par on the par 3s, ranking second in the field.
Sugiyama's best round as a Boilermaker featured five birdies and no bogeys on the par 72 Grand Reserve Golf Club. The junior birdied No. 3 before adding another at the par-3 sixth. After making the turn, she found birdies at a pair of par 4s, No. 12 and No. 14. Sugiyama completed her mistake-free round with a birdie at the 18th to move into a tie for first alongside Kansas State's Carla Bernat.
Jocelyn Bruch shot 73 (+1), recording three birdies and four bogeys throughout her round. After a pair of bogeys over her first four holes, the Boilermaker bounced back with birdies at the seventh and ninth to get back to even par. Like Sugiyama, she also took advantage of the par-5 18th with a birdie.
Natasha Kiel added a 74 (+2). The transfer got to 2-under through her first 11 holes with back-to-back birdies early on the back nine. However, a double bogey at the 13th pushed her back to level par before two more bogeys over her last six holes.
Making her debut in the Purdue lineup, freshman Lana Malek carded a 77 (+5) to contribute to the team score. After a triple bogey on her opening hole, Malek recovered and battled throughout the day by making a team-high 15 pars.
The second round begins Monday morning at 7:30 a.m. ET. Purdue will be paired with No. 9 Ole Miss and Georgia Southern, two teams just one shot ahead of the Boilermakers at 2-over.
For updates throughout the rest of the tournament, follow Purdue Women's Golf on Twitter @PurdueWGolf.
BOILERMAKERS
T1. Momo Sugiyama: 67 (-5)
T30. Jocelyn Bruch: 73 (+1)
T46. Natasha Kiel: 74 (+2)
T65. Lana Malek: 77 (+5)
T78. Ashley Kozlowski: 78 (+6)
*T78. Jade Gu: 78 (+6)
*T78. Jasmine Kahler: 78 (+6)
*Competing as an individual
TEAM LEADERBOARD
1. #11 LSU: 283 (-5)
2. #12 Texas A&M: 284 (-4)
3. Oklahoma State: 286 (-2)
T4. #9 Ole Miss: 290 (+2)
T4. Georgia Southern: 290 (+2)
6. #22 Purdue: 291 (+3)
T7. #17 Auburn: 292 (+4)
T7. Furman: 292 (+4)
T9. #3 Arkansas: 293 (+5)
T9. Minnesota: 293 (+5)
11. Kansas State: 294 (+6)
12. Mercer: 295 (+7)
13. TCU: 296 (+8)
14. Cincinnati: 301 (+13)
15. ULM: 306 (+18)
As a team, the Boilermakers find themselves in sixth place at 3-over, eight shots back of No. 11 LSU (-5). Purdue ended the first round even par on the par 3s, ranking second in the field.
Sugiyama's best round as a Boilermaker featured five birdies and no bogeys on the par 72 Grand Reserve Golf Club. The junior birdied No. 3 before adding another at the par-3 sixth. After making the turn, she found birdies at a pair of par 4s, No. 12 and No. 14. Sugiyama completed her mistake-free round with a birdie at the 18th to move into a tie for first alongside Kansas State's Carla Bernat.
Jocelyn Bruch shot 73 (+1), recording three birdies and four bogeys throughout her round. After a pair of bogeys over her first four holes, the Boilermaker bounced back with birdies at the seventh and ninth to get back to even par. Like Sugiyama, she also took advantage of the par-5 18th with a birdie.
Natasha Kiel added a 74 (+2). The transfer got to 2-under through her first 11 holes with back-to-back birdies early on the back nine. However, a double bogey at the 13th pushed her back to level par before two more bogeys over her last six holes.
Making her debut in the Purdue lineup, freshman Lana Malek carded a 77 (+5) to contribute to the team score. After a triple bogey on her opening hole, Malek recovered and battled throughout the day by making a team-high 15 pars.
The second round begins Monday morning at 7:30 a.m. ET. Purdue will be paired with No. 9 Ole Miss and Georgia Southern, two teams just one shot ahead of the Boilermakers at 2-over.
For updates throughout the rest of the tournament, follow Purdue Women's Golf on Twitter @PurdueWGolf.
BOILERMAKERS
T1. Momo Sugiyama: 67 (-5)
T30. Jocelyn Bruch: 73 (+1)
T46. Natasha Kiel: 74 (+2)
T65. Lana Malek: 77 (+5)
T78. Ashley Kozlowski: 78 (+6)
*T78. Jade Gu: 78 (+6)
*T78. Jasmine Kahler: 78 (+6)
*Competing as an individual
TEAM LEADERBOARD
1. #11 LSU: 283 (-5)
2. #12 Texas A&M: 284 (-4)
3. Oklahoma State: 286 (-2)
T4. #9 Ole Miss: 290 (+2)
T4. Georgia Southern: 290 (+2)
6. #22 Purdue: 291 (+3)
T7. #17 Auburn: 292 (+4)
T7. Furman: 292 (+4)
T9. #3 Arkansas: 293 (+5)
T9. Minnesota: 293 (+5)
11. Kansas State: 294 (+6)
12. Mercer: 295 (+7)
13. TCU: 296 (+8)
14. Cincinnati: 301 (+13)
15. ULM: 306 (+18)