After a long break from the course, the Iowa women’s golf team returned to action last weekend in the Chattanooga Classic. The 16-team event was hosted by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and featured some of the top teams in the Midwest.
The Hawkeyes couldn’t recover from a slow start in the first round and finished in seventh place. As a team, Iowa recorded a total scorecard of 882, 30 strokes over par.
On the individual side, third-year Paula Miranda fired a 67 during the final round, her lowest round of the season, putting her in a tie for fifth place. It marks Miranda’s third top-10 finish in her career and best finish in a Hawkeye uniform.
“Paula caught fire on the back nine, and it was great to see her grab a top-five finish,” head coach Megan Menzel told Hawkeye Sports.
Michigan swept both the individual and team titles, defeating Western Kentucky by six strokes in the team race. Fourth-year Monet Chun stole the show with a two stroke victory over South Florida’s Melanie Green.
How it happened
The first round was a disaster for Iowa as it couldn’t seem to adjust to the unique Tennessee terrain. The Hawkeyes carded a 306, leaving them in 13th place after day one.
On a positive note, Miranda and second-year Madison Dabagia both earned respectable four-over par finishes, landing them in a tie for 30th place.
Even after a difficult first round, the Hawkeyes didn’t go down quietly.
Iowa turned it around on day two and improved its score by 16 shots, ending the day in 12th place. Though the Hawkeyes dug themselves into a big hole early, the attitude in the locker room seemingly changed in the blink of an eye.
Miranda carried over her strong play from the previous day and totaled a 70, one stroke under par, moving her up 13 spots on the leaderboard. The junior tallied two birdies and one eagle, firing up the rest of the squad in the process.
The Hawkeyes continued their strong play into the final round, posting a score of 286, shaving four more strokes off their score and clinching seventh place. Despite beginning the tournament in 13th place, Iowa climbed seven spots over the next few days to finish in the middle of the pack.
“I am proud of the team for improving each round and for finishing strong in tough, wet conditions,” Menzel said.
Buckeye Invitational at a glance
Iowa will head east to Columbus for the annual Buckeye Invitational, a 12-team event hosted by Ohio State primarily featuring Big Ten teams. The two-day tournament will be held at the OSU Scarlet Course on April 13-14. Legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus played for Ohio State in the early 1960s and helped restore the course in 2005.
The field includes the likes of Ohio State, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, and Wisconsin. Kent State is the only non-Big Ten member competing in the invitational.
Michigan State comes in with the highest ranking at No. 31. The Spartans have claimed four tournament titles and eight additional top-five finishes under longtime head coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll.
Purdue trails Michigan State by a single spot in the polls at No. 32. The Boilermakers won their first two tournaments to open the season along with three top-five positions.
Ohio State checks in at No. 37 in the latest rankings. The Buckeyes lone invitational championship came on Feb. 19 at the Spartan Sun Coast Invitational in Sarasota, Florida.
Following her strong outing last weekend, Miranda looks to lead Iowa to its second top-five finish of the season:
- Paula Miranda
- Madison Dabagia
- Ximena Benites
- Riley Lewis
- Shannyn Vogler
- Kaitlyn Hanna
