Schooner Fall Classic provides challenging opportunity for Cyclones
Taglao Jeeravivitaporn stands next to Iowa State women’s golf Head Coach Christie Martens at the 2019 Big 12 Women’s Golf Championship on April 14, 2019.
September 25, 2021
The Iowa State women’s golf team started their season on a positive note, finishing fourth at the Wolverine Invitational in Ann Arbor, Michigan. With that being said, there are still strides to be made for this team to come close to their ceiling as the fall season continues.
“This week we have continued to work on wedge distance control and putting with great speed,” head coach Christie Martens said.
The Cyclones will have an opportunity to do just that as they begin tournament play for the second time this season on Sunday. They will head to the town of Big 12 rival Oklahoma for the Schooner Fall Classic in Norman. As for the opening tournament that saw Liyana Durisic finish tied-for-first, coach Martens believes it was certainly a good starting point for the season.
“I was pleased with our putting and with our players really staying engaged in their rounds. They stayed really committed to their targets and plan,” Martens said.
Durisic’s tournament win was the first by a Cyclone since 2018, but that’s only a glimpse into her kind of potential for this season. She came into the year atop the Iowa State women’s golf record books in career stroke average.
Meanwhile, Durisic’s fellow teammate Taglao Jeeravivitaporn enjoyed a tied-for-11th finish. Overall, it seems consistency is the main thing to watch for the Cyclones, as they sandwiched in a phenomenal second round with two more less superior rounds at the Wolverine Invitational.
“Liyana gained a lot of shots on her short game and driving. She is a very mentally tough player and [that] week was no different,” Martens said.
Martens also mentioned Durisic’s ability to hit clutch shots as well when needed, a trait possessed by the greatest of golfers. The team is excited about the next opportunity ahead, as they know Oklahoma will be a great challenge.
The Schooner Fall Classic tees off Sunday morning and runs through the waning hours of Monday. The competition features a legitimate field of teams, which includes #2 Baylor, #3 Oklahoma State, #10 TCU, and three more top-25 squads.
