Bruins in fifth after opening day of Kyle Blaser Invite
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -- Playing through cold weather that reduced the tournament to 36 holes, Shreya Suresh paced the Bellevue University women's golf team to a fifth-place standing following Monday's opening round of the Kyle Blaser Invitational.
The tournament is being played at the 6,053-yard, par-72 Gaillardia Country Club.
The Bruins carded a team score of 327 (+39) to claim fifth place in the highly competitive eight-team field. No. 16 Texas Wesleyan leads the event after shooting an opening-round 310 (+22), clinging to a narrow one-stroke advantage over Ottawa (Ariz.) (311, +23), a program receiving votes in the latest NAIA coaches' poll. Host No. 19 Oklahoma City occupies third place at 321 (+33), while Science & Arts (Okla.) (322, +34), which is also receiving votes, rounds out the top four.
At the top of the individual leaderboard, OUAZ's Chiara Israng holds the lead after shooting a 1-over par 73. MidAmerica Nazarene's Amy Fusedale is in second place at 2-over par (74), while Oklahoma City's Logan Allen and Texas Wesleyan's Sofia Gorgees Baeta are tied for third at 3-over par (75).
Suresh paced the Bruins and holds ninth place overall at 7-over par (79). Rebounding from a 42 on the front nine to shoot a 37 on the back, she tallied eight pars and converted birdies on the 272-yard, par-4 11th and 548-yard, par-5 14th holes.
Isabella Gomez is tied for 10th place at 8-over (80). Playing a steady round, she compiled a team-high nine pars on the day.
Patricija Jakovleva shares 22nd place at 10 over par (82). She registered seven pars and secured a pair of birdies on the 149-yard, par-3 ninth and 548-yard, par-5 14th holes.
Nellie Forsen rounded out the lineup and is currently in a tie for 31st place at 14-over (86). Improving by eight strokes on her back nine to shoot a 39, Forsen recorded four pars and sank a birdie on the 314-yard, par-4 17th hole.
Bellevue Individual Results
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9th - Shreya Suresh: 79 = 79 (+7)
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t-10th - Isabella Gomez: 80 = 80 (+8)
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t-22nd - Patricija Jakovleva: 82 = 82 (+10)
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t-31st - Nellie Forsen: 86 = 86 (+14)
Up Next The final 18 holes of the weather-shortened Kyle Blaser Invitational will be played tomorrow (Mar. 17) at Gaillardia Country Club.
