Monday, April 19, 2021

DUPONT, Wash. – There is no place like home for Kathryn Crimp and Hoku Nagamine. The Home Course that is.

The Saint Martin’s duo finds themselves atop the leaderboard after the first round of the 2021 GNAC Women’s Golf Championships, played Monday at The Home Course.

Crimp and Nagamine, both sophomores, are the clubhouse leaders with season-low rounds of 5-over-par 77. While enjoying the lead, though, three players sit a stroke back in a three-way tie for third place. Montana State Billings junior Tierney Messmer and Western Washington freshmen Elise Sumner and Dani Bailey all sit at 6-over-par 78.

“I have been playing decent all year but to put it all together is nice,” Crimp said. “I played super consistent all day and making those birdies on the back nine really helped.”

Crimp was bolstered by a strong back nine, which included birdies on the par-4 11th hole and the par-3 14th hole. She was bogey or better on all but one hole. Nagamine, meanwhile, shot a birdie on the par-4 seventh hole and was also bogey or better on all but one hole.

“My front nine was okay, the last few holes were a bit rough,” Nagamine said. “On the back nine, I didn’t really pay attention to the score. I just kept things hole-by-hole and when I finished I was surprised that I had shot that well.”

Western Washington is in firm control of the team race thanks to the top three finishes for Sumner and Bailey with a score of 315. The Vikings placed their four scoring golfers in the top eight with sophomore Sarah Shea tied for sixth at 7-over-par 79 and junior Kolby Heggenes tied for eighth at 8-over-par 80.

Northwest Nazarene sits 11 strokes back with a score of 326 followed by Saint Martin’s at 326 and Montana State Billings at 327. Freshman Paige Vancil leads the Nighthawks, tied for sixth place at 7-over-par 79,

The final round of the GNAC Women’s Championships begins on Tuesday at 8:25 a.m. Spectators are not allowed on the course. A live leaderboard is available at GNACSports.com.