In a pair of rounds that saw freezing conditions, rain and 60 degrees of sunshine, the Fort Lewis College women's golf team simply could not find its stride. FLC finished 14th at the Nick Turner Invitational on the Arroyo Del Oso golf course Monday and Tuesday.
“I'm disappointed this is how our fall season ends, but I know we are on the right track,” head coach Jim Foltz said. “Golf is more mental than physical. We are starting to face the challenges of life and school, and it’s impacting us on the course. I know we will bounce back and get it all sorted before the spring.”
This tournament's Skyhawks lineup included Emma Tornroos, Brooke Sturtevant, Kendal Gutierrez, Molly Schwartz and Emilia Manntz. Melissa Gabaldon also traveled but competed as an individual outside of the team's five-person total.
Fort Lewis finished 14th as a unit after shooting a combined 656 (333, 323), 91 strokes over par. Saint Mary’s (Texas) won the overall team title with a two-day 595 (298, 297), finishing nine strokes over par.
Arkansas-Fort Smith’s Sydney Williams and California State San Marcos’ Caroline Wales tied for the individual title at 145, (+1). The duo competed in a five-hole playoff, resulting in a trophy win for Williams.
Tornroos led the Skyhawks this week, scoring 158 (81, 77, +14) on her scorecard.
The cold and rain brought adversity for every team, and Fort Lewis was no exception. Tornroos and Sturtevant each fell into a seven-way split for 52nd after the opening round. The duo shot an 81, finishing nine strokes above the par of 72. Unable to best the weather, the Skyhawks tallied only eight birdies alongside 42 bogeys, nine double bogeys and a pair of triple bogeys.
The sun finally showed up for Round 2, eliminating a lot of the frost on the course and providing a much warmer environment. Tornroos held her lead among the Skyhawks, improving to a 77 (+5) across the final 18. Fort Lewis struggled to beat par, landing just two birdies. On the other hand, the Skyhawks cut down their bogeys to 40, double bogeys to six and eliminated triple bogeys, but did add a single quadruple bogey.
This tournament was the last for the Skyhawks in their fall season. The women’s golf team will be back in action for its championship season this spring.
