T-Birds Finish Round 1 of Nationals in 5th Place

The Thunderbirds are in fifth place at the NJCAA DI Women's Golf Championship after posting a 24-over team total of 316 in Round 1.

The host course Duran Golf Club is playing as a par-73 this week on the card for the women.

No. 2 Daytona State leads the team score at 4-under par for the tournament. Seminole State is not far behind in second place at 1-under. Odessa was the top school outside of Florida at 10-over par and then in fourth place is McLennan at 15-over.

Angelica Holan of Daytona State leads the way individually at 4-under par.

Nanami Hayakawa recorded six birdies during her opening round at Duran Golf Club. The freshman shot a 2-over 75 to put herself in a tie for 12th place after 18 holes. Hayakawa was on fire through her first four holes. She was 3-under par with birdies on No. 1, No. 3, and No. 4.

The Nagano, Japan native dropped shots on No. 5 and No. 6. She closed the front with back-to-back bogeys on her way to shooting a 1-over 37. 

Birdies on No. 11 and No. 13 moved Hayakawa into red figures at 1-under. She hit a tough stretch between 14-16 where she went double-bogey-bogey. A bounce-back bird on the par-3 17th moved Hayakawa to 2-over par through 17. Hayakawa made a great save from the trees on 18 to shoot a 2-over 75 in Round 1.

Hinano Kishida sits T-30 following her 5-over par 78 in the opening round on Monday. Kishida bogeyed No. 2 and doubled No. 6, which left her at 3-over through the first six holes. A birdie at nine had the freshman making the turn at 2-over.

Kishida started the back with a triple on No. 10. The Nagano, Japan native went par-birdie-bogey-bogey-birdie through her next five holes to stay at 3-over for the second nine with three holes to play. Kishida made pars to close her back nine with a 3-over 40 and turn in a 5-over 78 for her opening 18.

Wawa Booncharn is tied for 40th at the championship after posting a 7-over 80 in her first round. The Bangkok, Thailand native began her round bogey-bogey and then went par-par-bogey to start 3-over through the first five holes. A birdie on nine moved Booncharn to 2-over through the first nine holes.

Booncharn began the back nine par-double-bogey through the first three holes. She bogeyed No. 15 to drop to 6-over par on the day. The freshman's second shot into 18 found the drink and she subsequently had to drop. Her approach did not find the green and went long right. A nifty chip to a foot led to a tap-in bogey and an opening round 80 (+7).

Olivia Heard had rough start to the front nine on Day 1. The freshman made four bogeys in a row from No. 2 through No. 5. She parred six and then went triple-bogey-par to shoot 44 on the front.

The back nine was a different story for Heard. The Englishwoman went par-bogey-birdie and then went par-par-birdie. On No. 16, she bogeyed and then recorded a par on No. 17. Hole 18 was a challenge for Heard after her drive landed in the water. She had to re-tee and went on to make a one-putt bogey after sticking her approach shot to six feet. She finished her round at 10-over (83).

Ashleigh Johnson had a tough go of it Monday morning. Her front nine featured six bogeys, two pars, and a double to shoot 44. The back was identical to the front. Johnson made six bogeys, two pars, and one double to shoot 45. The Wisconsinite finished with a 16-over 89 for Round 1 and she is currently in a tie for 71st place. 

The T-Birds will go to the bench for Day 2 and sub in Kyleigh McGowen for Ashleigh Johnson.

The T-Birds will tee off Tuesday, May 21 at 8:15 a.m. EDT at Duran Golf Club off of 10 tee. Tee times are as follows, Kyleigh McGowen at 8:15 a.m. EDT, Wawa Booncharn at 8:23 a.m. EDT, Olivia Heard at 8:33 a.m. EDT, Nanami Hayakawa at 8:42 a.m. EDT, and Hinano Kishida at 8:51 a.m. EDT.