The NC State women’s golf team opened its season with a seventh-place finish at the Cougar Classic at Yeaman’s Hall Tuesday afternoon in Hanahan, South Carolina.
Four newcomers made their Wolfpack debuts, including two freshmen who posted State’s top three-round scores and led the team in its final round charge up the leaderboard, jumping from tenth to seventh place out of 20 teams.
The Wolfpack opened the three-round tournament with its best round, shooting 294 (+6) as a team, with its top four scores all from newcomers.
The trio of freshman were impressive in their collegiate debuts with Leonie Bettel leading the way, shooting an even-par 72. Naomi Ko shot a 73 (+1) while India Clyburn shot a 74 (+2).
Junior transfer Sarah Bae was equally impressive in her debut with the Pack, tallying a 75 (+3).
“It was really exciting,” head coach Page Marsh said. “We played with four new players, and our most-seasoned was a sophomore. We’re a really young team. They’re very talented and very enthusiastic. It’s going to be a fun year.”
Sophomore Cecily Overbey stepped up on the second day, recording the Wolfpack’s only individual round under par of the tournament with a 71 (-1).
Bettel and Clyburn continued their steady play, shooting 75 (+3) while Bae rounded out the top four scores with a 76 (+4), for a round two team total of 297 (+9).
NC State ended the second round in tenth place and faced poor final-round conditions on the course yet managed to move up the leaderboard, finishing in seventh.
“The conditions today (Tuesday) were extremely difficult,” Marsh said. “Very fast greens, they were firm and very difficult hole locations. I thought that it really showed how tenacious they are.”
Just like the first round, freshmen Ko and Bettel led the Pack shooting 72 (E) and 74 (+2) respectively.
With Overbey (+5) and Bae (+6), the Wolfpack concluded the tournament with a third-round score of 301 (+13).
The highlight of the day came from a double eagle on the par-5 18th hole, when Overbey needed only two shots to hole the ball.
“All the sudden [the ball] disappeared,” Marsh said. “Everybody around was just kind of stunned because it’s a very rare thing.”
The team shot a 28-over 892 three-round tournament score, only three strokes behind sixth.
Bettel 221 (+5) finished tied for 24th amongst all golfers in the tournament while fellow freshman Ko 222 (+6) finished tied for 29th.
