CARLSBAD, Calif. – Behind an even-par 72 from Momo Sugiyama, Purdue Women's Golf carded a 7-over 295 in the opening round of the NCAA Championships. After 18 holes, the Boilermakers find themselves in 18th place out of the 30 teams that advanced to the national championship stage at Omni La Costa Resort and Spa.
Purdue sits tied alongside No. 2 Wake Forest and ahead of three teams ranked Top 10 nationally. No. 3 South Carolina is one stroke back of the Boilermakers, while No. 7 USC, No. 8 Texas and No. 14 Ole Miss are tied at 11-over. No. 16 Clemson holds the clubhouse lead, posting an 8-under 280 in the morning before No. 13 Texas A&M put together a 281 (-7) during the afternoon wave.
Sugiyama recorded her 19th par-or better round of her junior campaign, passing Numa Gulyanamitta and Laura Gonzalez Escallon for the third-most in a single season in program history. She bounced back after a bogey-bogey start, throwing a dart at the par-3 third before rolling in a 15-foot putt on No. 9 to make the turn at even. Sugiyama made it back-to-back birdies by taking advantage of the par-5 10th. Two consecutive bogeys dropped her back to 1-over, but she nearly jarred her approach at No. 15, leading to her fourth birdie of the day to get to even par and in a tie for 38th on the individual leaderboard.
The first Boilermaker on the course, Natasha Kiel started strong with a 1-over 73. She matched Sugiyama by making a team-high four birdies throughout the day, recording a pair on both sides of the par-72 course. Three of her birdies came on par 4s, as she played those holes 1-under. Following a stretch of three straight bogeys on the back nine, Kiel responded by finishing 2-under on the final five holes. She birdied No. 15 and nearly holed out for eagle on the par-5 18th. She settled by making the downhill 4-footer for birdie to complete her round and take some momentum into the second round.
Beginning her 41st and final collegiate tournament, Ashley Kozlowski carded a 74 (+2). Take away a pair of double bogeys, the All-Big Ten golfer played well with two birdies and 14 pars. After making pars on the first four holes, she drained a birdie putt at No. 5 to get into red figures. Her other birdie came at the 11th, and Kozlowski tallied seven pars on both the front and the back nine.
Jocelyn Bruch contributed to the Boilermakers' team score with a 76 (+4). Her lone birdie was at the par-5 sixth, and she played the final six holes bogey free.
After teeing off in the morning to begin the tournament, Purdue will play in the afternoon wave on Saturday (May 18). The Boilermakers will start on No. 10, once again be paired alongside Michigan State (E) and Baylor (+12), at 4:17 p.m. ET.
For updates throughout the rest of the NCAA Championships, follow Purdue Women's Golf on Twitter @PurdueWGolf.
BOILERMAKERS
T38. Momo Sugiyama: 72 (E)
T58. Natasha Kiel: 73 (+1)
T75. Ashley Kozlowski: 74 (+2)
T99. Jocelyn Bruch: 76 (+4)
T116. Jasmine Kahler: 77 (+5)
TEAM LEADERBOARD
1. #16 Clemson: 280 (-8)
2. #13 Texas A&M: 281 (-7)
T3. #1 Stanford: 285 (-3)
T3. #6 Auburn: 285 (-3)
T3. #11 Northwestern: 285 (-3)
T6. #9 Duke: 286 (-2)
T6. #15 Arizona State: 286 (-2)
T6. San Jose State: 286 (-2)
T9. #19 Florida State: 287 (-1)
T9. Oklahoma State: 287 (-1)
T9. #23 Mississippi State: 287 (-1)
T12. #10 Arkansas: 288 (E)
T12. Michigan State: 288 (E)
14. #4 LSU: 289 (+1)
T15. #5 UCLA: 291 (+3)
T15. #21 Pepperdine: 291 (+3)
17. #12 Oregon: 294 (+6)
T18. Purdue: 295 (+7)
T18. #2 Wake Forest: 295 (+7)
20. #3 South Carolina: 296 (+8)
T21. #14 Ole Miss: 299 (+11)
T21. #7 USC: 299 (+11)
T21. #8 Texas: 299 (+11)
T21. Oregon State: 299 (+11)
T25. Baylor: 300 (+12)
T25. #20 Vanderbilt: 300 (+12)
T27. #22 Virginia: 301 (+13)
T27. North Carolina: 301 (+13)
29. #25 SMU: 302 (+14)
30. Tulsa: 303 (+15)
Purdue sits tied alongside No. 2 Wake Forest and ahead of three teams ranked Top 10 nationally. No. 3 South Carolina is one stroke back of the Boilermakers, while No. 7 USC, No. 8 Texas and No. 14 Ole Miss are tied at 11-over. No. 16 Clemson holds the clubhouse lead, posting an 8-under 280 in the morning before No. 13 Texas A&M put together a 281 (-7) during the afternoon wave.
Sugiyama recorded her 19th par-or better round of her junior campaign, passing Numa Gulyanamitta and Laura Gonzalez Escallon for the third-most in a single season in program history. She bounced back after a bogey-bogey start, throwing a dart at the par-3 third before rolling in a 15-foot putt on No. 9 to make the turn at even. Sugiyama made it back-to-back birdies by taking advantage of the par-5 10th. Two consecutive bogeys dropped her back to 1-over, but she nearly jarred her approach at No. 15, leading to her fourth birdie of the day to get to even par and in a tie for 38th on the individual leaderboard.
The first Boilermaker on the course, Natasha Kiel started strong with a 1-over 73. She matched Sugiyama by making a team-high four birdies throughout the day, recording a pair on both sides of the par-72 course. Three of her birdies came on par 4s, as she played those holes 1-under. Following a stretch of three straight bogeys on the back nine, Kiel responded by finishing 2-under on the final five holes. She birdied No. 15 and nearly holed out for eagle on the par-5 18th. She settled by making the downhill 4-footer for birdie to complete her round and take some momentum into the second round.
Beginning her 41st and final collegiate tournament, Ashley Kozlowski carded a 74 (+2). Take away a pair of double bogeys, the All-Big Ten golfer played well with two birdies and 14 pars. After making pars on the first four holes, she drained a birdie putt at No. 5 to get into red figures. Her other birdie came at the 11th, and Kozlowski tallied seven pars on both the front and the back nine.
Jocelyn Bruch contributed to the Boilermakers' team score with a 76 (+4). Her lone birdie was at the par-5 sixth, and she played the final six holes bogey free.
After teeing off in the morning to begin the tournament, Purdue will play in the afternoon wave on Saturday (May 18). The Boilermakers will start on No. 10, once again be paired alongside Michigan State (E) and Baylor (+12), at 4:17 p.m. ET.
For updates throughout the rest of the NCAA Championships, follow Purdue Women's Golf on Twitter @PurdueWGolf.
BOILERMAKERS
T38. Momo Sugiyama: 72 (E)
T58. Natasha Kiel: 73 (+1)
T75. Ashley Kozlowski: 74 (+2)
T99. Jocelyn Bruch: 76 (+4)
T116. Jasmine Kahler: 77 (+5)
TEAM LEADERBOARD
1. #16 Clemson: 280 (-8)
2. #13 Texas A&M: 281 (-7)
T3. #1 Stanford: 285 (-3)
T3. #6 Auburn: 285 (-3)
T3. #11 Northwestern: 285 (-3)
T6. #9 Duke: 286 (-2)
T6. #15 Arizona State: 286 (-2)
T6. San Jose State: 286 (-2)
T9. #19 Florida State: 287 (-1)
T9. Oklahoma State: 287 (-1)
T9. #23 Mississippi State: 287 (-1)
T12. #10 Arkansas: 288 (E)
T12. Michigan State: 288 (E)
14. #4 LSU: 289 (+1)
T15. #5 UCLA: 291 (+3)
T15. #21 Pepperdine: 291 (+3)
17. #12 Oregon: 294 (+6)
T18. Purdue: 295 (+7)
T18. #2 Wake Forest: 295 (+7)
20. #3 South Carolina: 296 (+8)
T21. #14 Ole Miss: 299 (+11)
T21. #7 USC: 299 (+11)
T21. #8 Texas: 299 (+11)
T21. Oregon State: 299 (+11)
T25. Baylor: 300 (+12)
T25. #20 Vanderbilt: 300 (+12)
T27. #22 Virginia: 301 (+13)
T27. North Carolina: 301 (+13)
29. #25 SMU: 302 (+14)
30. Tulsa: 303 (+15)