For the first time in the 2019-2020 season, Kent State women’s golf was not able to finish in first or second place. The Flashes had consistently placed No. 1 or No. 2 all season until the Northrop Grumman Invitational. 

Competing against the toughest competitors in college women’s golf, No. 1 University of Texas at Austin and No. 3 Wake Forest, the Flashes finished in sixth. The last time Kent State failed to place in the top five was March 23-25, 2019 at the Evans Derby Experience where they placed sixth.

“I wouldn’t really, I guess use the word struggle at all. Very tough golf course and tough [weather]conditions on the first round…  I think they bounced back really well with the restart kind of finished off that round, really strong and Pim [Pimnipa Panthong] and Karoline [Stormo] had been carrying the weight for the team throughout the season and I think it was great to see Kory [Nielsen] step up and have two great rounds,” coach Lisa Strom said.

No. 2 Kent State failed to have one golfer finish in the top 10. Junior golfer Nielsen finished ahead of all the other Flashes in a tie for 23rd. Nielsen finished the first day of the tournament in a tie for fourth place, but struggled on the final day dropping 18 spots.

Three Kent State golfers tied for 36th, No. 22 Caley McGinty, No. 14 Stormo and Chloe Sarot. There was not much change in the standings, despite McGinty moving up 22 spots on the final day. 

No.4 Panthong finished in a tie for 49th after dropping four spots on the last day. Panthong’s score of 79 on the first day of the tournament had her tied for 67th as she struggled to get back ahead on the final two days.

The first day of the tournament was delayed about an hour and a half due to weather. Strom said despite the conditions, the golfers were able to be perservere. 

“I think in our culture, [it] is based around toughness and whether that’s physical or mental. Nothing really bothers us on a cold day,” she said.

Kent State women’s golf’s next tournament is the Icon Invitational on Monday, Feb. 24-25 in Woodlands, TX.

Contact Amanda Levine at [email protected].