Great Midwest Championship - Round 1 Combo Results
Great Midwest Championship - Round 1 Team Results
Great Midwest Championship - Round 1 Player Results
Great Midwest Championship - Round 2 Tee Times
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Despite Mother Nature’s best efforts, resilient student-athletes persevered through several different phases of inclement weather to somehow complete the first 18 holes of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Women’s Golf Championship on Monday.
Winds in excess of 25 mph gusting laterally, a biting wind chill factor and flurries turning into snowflakes turning into mini pellets of ice, at Four Bridges Country Club made life somewhat uncomfortable for the field of 45.
Student-athletes were bundled up in their best winter gear to tackle the par-72, 5,811-yard layout, with only eyes visible at times on the course as they attempted to protect their faces from windburn.
A total of 27 holes were originally scheduled to be completed on Monday, but the day was shortened and tee times pushed back one hour to let the course dry out.
The overall tournament will now consist of 36 holes counting towards the final scoring. The final round will start tomorrow morning at 10 AM ET off the first and 10th tees.
At the end of day one, it was Findlay standing tall at the top of the leaderboard with the team lead and the individual lead during the race for medalist honors. With a 318, UF carded the second-best single round in conference championship history (312 by Trevecca in 2016).
The Oilers had four student-athletes planted in the top 10 to start their first conference tournament, including sophomore Samantha Kellstrom, who posted a remarkable 77 (+5) with all factors considered.
Birdies were understandably difficult to come by on Monday -- just 16 total were cashed in by eight teams -- but Kellstrom came into the clubhouse with one on the par-4 18th to finish her round, icing on the cake for her first-day total.
Kellstrom went into the turn at 4-over par and had a string of six consecutive made pars following a double bogey on the 11th hole early in the back nine.
Balance is a key attribute for the Findlay lineup as head coach Dominic Guarnieri and assistant Jacob Miller have established their group among the best in the East Region (4th) and the country with a top-40 Golfstat ranking.
Kellstrom carries a two-stroke lead into Tuesday over Trevecca sophomore and last year’s runner-up, Rachael McMahan (79), and Ohio Dominican’s Abby Swensen (79).
Findlay's four-time Great Midwest Athlete of the Week Makenzie Torres is also in the mix with teammate Meredith Wipper in a tie for fourth with Ohio Dominican’s Kaylin Dill. The Oilers also have Samantha Hatter tied for seventh and rookie Kristina Kniesly has a share of 12th.
ODU had Swensen and Dill among the top four finishers of the first round.
The Oilers are trying to end the run of five straight titles brought home by Trevecca, which features an extremely young lineup anchored by McMahan and a host of talented underclassmen.
Findlay holds a 13-shot advantage going into the final round of competition over the Trojans (331). Ohio Dominican (332) is just one shot behind Trevecca in a tight race at the top of the team standings.
Live results will be available on Golfstat.com tomorrow while the awards ceremony will conclude the tournament with all-conference honorees (top five and ties based on finish) being honored along with the medalist.