By Michael Haag | Sports Writer
No. 19 Baylor women’s golf showed consistency, tying for third place at the PING Arizona State Invitational at Papago Golf Club in Phoenix. The finish marked the sixth top-five finish for the Bears on the season and it was the first sub-par team score since the Rainbow Wahine Invitational on Oct. 27, 2021.
No. 8 Arizona State University won the tournament with a score of 25-under 839, edging No. 2 University of Oregon by 15 shots.
Individually, ASU’s senior Alexandra Forsterling took home medalist honors, shooting a 9-under 207.
“I’m very proud of this team and how we competed all week,” Head coach Jay Goble said. “We did not have our best day on the greens, but they hit the ball great, and this is a course where home-course advantage exists. Going into our last event before postseason, I like how we are trending and looking forward to seeing how this team finishes the season.”
On the individual leaderboard for Baylor, senior Gurleen Kaur notched her fourth top-five finish of the year with the help of two strong final rounds, as she finished 5-under 211.
After an incredible 6-under 66 on Saturday, Kaur recorded a second-consecutive round under par with a 1-under 71 on Sunday. The Houston native birdied the par-5 ninth to get into red figures after eight-straight pars to start the round. She then connected on a birdie for the third-straight day on a par-5 15th.
Following the performance, Kaur jumped into the top-5 in career rounds played with 132. Also, Kaur’s 11th career top-5 finish moves her within one of Melanie Hagewood for third place in program history.
It was an even-par 72 for sophomore Rosie Belsham on Sunday, resulting in a tie for 19th. Belsham started the open nine with seven pars and two birdies at Nos. 5 and 9. The England native lulled with three bogeys, but closed the tournament with a birdie at the last to attain a second round at par or better on the weekend.
The golfer to finish tied for 19th with Belsham was sophomore Britta Synder, who shot a 3-over 75 in the last round. Snyder took a balanced approach to each hole with 15 pars, but three bogeys snapped her streak of three-straight rounds at par or better.
With the help from Snyder’s pars, Baylor and Oregon led the field with 188 on the weekend. The Bears were second in par-4 scoring average with a 4.03.
Graduate student Addie Baggarly punched in 18 parts to the tune of an even-par 72 on Sunday. The round was her best in regard to par since her arrival at Baylor, as it tied her lowest as a Bear.
Freshman BaiMai Seema improved each day of the weekend, shooting a 4-over 76. Following a bogey-birdie start, she finished in a tie for 67th after four birdies.
Up next, the Bears return back to the central time zone, as they will compete in the Bruzzy Challenge, scheduled from April 11-12th at Lantana Golf Club in Lantana.
