The Iowa State women’s golf team performed much better in their second tournament of the Spring slate when they traveled to the University of New Mexico Invitational held March 17-19 in Albuquerque.

The tournament, which featured 15 teams, was played on a par 73 golf course which measured 6,069 yards. A typical course is usually a par 72 and somewhat shorter.

Of the 15 teams, Iowa State finished in third place behind the host school Lobos in first, and second place Northern Arizona. Leading Iowa State on the course was Gwynn Shepherd with her sixth place finish.

Shepherd finished with rounds of 82-76-70 (228), finishing 13 strokes behind New Mexico’s J.J. McCormick.

The round of 70 puts Shepherd in the Cyclone record books alongside the likes of former standouts Barb Thomas, Holly Duncan, Beth Bader and current Cyclone Sara Linneman for the best 18-hole score of all time.

Not only did McCormick take first place, but she never trailed in the tournament on her way to medalist honors after posting rounds of 73-72-70 (215).

Finishing just four strokes behind Shepherd was Fiona Watson. Watson finished in a tie for 12th place after putting up rounds of 78-78-76 (232).

Cyclone golfer Cathy Matthews followed Watson with her 234 card performance.

Matthew’s score was good enough for 16th place after shooting rounds of 80-78-76.

“I am really happy for Fiona,” ISU Head Coach Julie Manning said. “She had three rounds in the 70s and that was a goal of hers.”

Manning was pleased with the results of the tournament.

“I really am (happy),” Manning said. “We are playing as good as we can play in the month of March without having been outside.”

“I really have to highlight the top three,” she said.

Tying for 47th position was Cyclone golfer Sara Linneman. She used rounds of 83-85-83 to finish with a final tally of 250 strokes.

As for the fourth score Manning said “it is coming.”

“The lower part of our lineup is working really hard,” she said. “We just need to massage them a little to get the best scores we can.”

The final Cyclone playing for the team was Cristina Young. The walk-on finished 10 strokes behind Linneman with rounds of 88-85-87 (260) and finished in 64th overall.

“Cristina made some good shots, but she just couldn’t put together an entire 18,” the coach said.

Iowa State also had one player playing as an unattached individual. True freshman Kay C. Elgert ran off rounds of 87-89-88 (264) while finishing in a tie for 67th.

As for the trip on a whole, Manning said it was “a great trip all the way around.”

“We usually travel to Florida during spring break in two tournaments, but we decided to push the trip back a little bit,” she said. “We gained some great confidence.”

Manning said the team is beginning to find its own identity.

“We are getting a little better each tournament,” Manning said. “We have been rebuilding a little bit with the loss of Holly (Duncan) and Beth (Bader), but we are starting to find our own identity.”

Manning also said the success in the tournament may have something to do with the fact that the school is having great success in other sports as well.

“I think success kind of spreads,” she said.