YSU women golfers finish opening round stronger

Staff report

SOUTH BEAND, IND.

Playing their toughest course of the season, the Youngstown State women’s golf team found their groove during the final nine holes of Thursday’s NCAA South Bend Regional at the Warren Golf Course.

The Penguins carded an opening round 311 and sit in 18th place following the first round.

YSU is within striking distance of 41st-ranked Louisville (305), Eastern Kentucky (307), North Carolina (308), 45th-ranked San Jose State (310) and Troy (310).

Today, the Penguins will be paired with golfers from San Jose State and Troy.

Duke has a five-shot lead for the event after firing an impressive 288.

The Penguins’ headliner from start to finish was freshman Courtney Shutt, who is tied for 31st after an opening round of 75, her lowest of the season.

Shutt had a three-over par round and capped it off with a near ace on the par-3 ninth hole.

Shutt hit her tee shot on the 164-yard par-3 to within two feet of the cup before making the short putt to end her day. She was even-par on the front side the a 36. She had seven pars, a birdie and bogey in her final nine holes of the round.

“Courtney played fantastic,” YSU coach Nate Miklos said. “She’s been playing well all spring and we were waiting for her to breakthrough and put together a really good round and that was great.”

Senior Allison Mitzel was at even-par through her first 11 holes of the day which included birdies at No. 16 and the long-par-5 No. 17. She shot a 77 for her round which ties her for 49th place.

“I thought we put together a pretty solid performance today,” Miklos said. “We definitely started on the tougher side. We made a few bogeys early, but we did a great job of playing well on the second nine.”