The Iowa State women’s golf team continued its west coast play at the Stanford Intercollegiate on Saturday. The team fell three places during the second day of play, falling to 16th out of 19 teams.
Day one ended with the team slotted in at 13th among the field, and an additional set of many team and individual ties throughout the whole tournament.
Their fall season opened with three bottom-half finishes. With something to prove, the Cyclones looked to make a statement in their final fall tournament.
Here are the three takeaways from the second of three days of play.
A close race
With every team starting the day at a near-even placement and score, the competition was fierce. Each team in the field of 19 was still within grasp of winning and none were willing to let go of such a chance, including the Cyclones.
The closeness continued to be the name of the game, but that meant the Cyclones began to slip down the leaderboard. Both their first and second rounds resulted in a 295 score, but it was not enough to rise up, nor was it enough to even maintain their placement.
The team ultimately finished round two sitting in 16th place, with a +22 to par. Even so, the team is nowhere near out of the running for a big finish overall.
Birdies galore
Despite finding success to a lesser degree in the overall scorecard, the Cyclones impressed in a key area: birdies.
This held a special meaning at the Stanford Intercollegiate with each birdie earning a donation to #PlayForHer, a cause against breast cancer and working to fund further research on breast cancer.
The #PlayForHer initiative continued to be a huge motivator for every team. By the end of round two, the Cyclones found themselves in the top-five for most birdies overall, sitting at fifth with a total of 31.
Additionally, the charity is accepting donations that will act as sponsors for each birdie made by the golfers. Donors are able to participate as a sponsor for each birdie or make a flat donation to the cause. Those who donate can be assured that their money goes directly to Dr. Hope Rugo at UC San Francisco and her research.
Statement play
The Cyclones continued with their mantra for the fall season: consistency. The team never looked to be one that was playing below their capabilities, especially in such a tough field of competitors.
On the final day of play, the Cyclones are presented with a big chance to show out before the break between the fall and spring season.
If the Cyclones pull more performances like they had at the Stanford Intercollegiate, they could be considered a top team within the Big 12 Conference.
The Cyclones will conclude with the final day of play on Sunday in Stanford and cap off the fall season. The team will enter a few months of hiatus and will reopen in February.
