Monday, April 24, 2023

COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho – Saint Martin’s Ashely Bruland shot the best round of her collegiate career to lead the way at the halfway mark of the 2023 GNAC Women’s Golf Championships in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

Bruland finished the first round with a score of 1-over-par 72, three strokes ahead of second-place Natasha Kozlowski of Simon Fraser. The score surpasses her previous best round of 73 set in March at the Pack Classic in Pueblo, Colorado.

Bruland, a freshman from Sedro Woolley, Washington, opened the day strong with a birdie on hole one and carried that advantage until the sixth hole where a bogey placed her at even. Bruland slipped to two-over-par by the 15th hole but clawed back a stroke with a birdie in the penultimate hole of the day.

As a team, Simon Fraser placed all five of its golfers in the top 10 to lead the opening round with a score of 306, six strokes ahead of second-place Saint Martin’s. Kozlowski headed up the Red Leafs’ effort, finishing the round in second place with a score of 4-over-par 75.

Kozlowski was joined in the top three by freshmen teammates Meera Minhas and Izzy Ferguson. Both Minhas and Ferguson carded a score of 5-over-par 76 to finish as part of a four-way tie for third. Freshman Sueah Park and junior Shirin Anjarwalla rounded out the first round for the Red Leafs, finishing in a four-way tie for eighth with a score of 8-over-par 79.

Saint Martin’s is also in the hunt for the team championship with a score of 312. The Saints are six strokes behind Simon Fraser and seven strokes clear of third-place Northwest Nazarene. Freshman Kelsie Inouye joined Bruland in the top three with a score of 5-over par 76. The Saints put all four scoring golfers in the top 20 with sophomore Hannah White tied for 16th with a score of 81 and senior Kathryn Crimp two strokes behind her with a score of 83 in a tie for 16th.

Western Washington freshman Emma Worgum is the top-placed Vikings’ golfer after one round, tied for third with a score of 5-over-par 76. She leads a team effort that sees the defending team champion in fourth place at the end of day one. Senior Megan Billeter and freshman Kasey Maralack also placed in the top 20 in the opening round in ties for 13th and 19th, respectively.

Northwest Nazarene is in third place at the halfway point with a team score of 321. The Nighthawks have a pair of golfers in the top 10 with sophomores Christine Cho and Brianna Shervik in a four-way tie for eighth.

The GNAC Women’s Golf Championships conclude tomorrow with the final round beginning at 8 a.m. The team champion will receive the conference’s automatic berth to the NCAA Championships. Live stats can be found at GNACSports.com.