T-Bird (W-Golf) Finishes Runner-up at Southwest District Championship, Qualifies for Nationals 

The NMJC women's golf team finished in second place Tuesday, April 29 at the Southwest District Championship in Weatherford, Texas.

The runner-up finish automatically qualifies the team for the NJCAA Women's Golf National Championship May 12-15 in Garden City, Kansas.

The rain-shortened tournament was cut from 54 holes to 36 holes because of the inclement weather on Wednesday.

NMJC shot 22-over to finish four strokes behind first place Odessa College. The Thunderbirds have now finished runner-up seven times this season.  

Wawa Booncharn was the top performer for the T-Birds this week in Weatherford placing third overall. The sophomore shot 77-72 in 36 holes to finish the tournament at 5-over. She also led the field in par 3 scoring at 2-under par. Booncharn has finished in the top five nine times so far this season.

Hinano Kishida finished tied for fourth through 36 holes of play. Kishida shot a 1-over 73 in the opening round and a 5-over 77 in the final round to come in at 6-over par.  The Nagano, Japan native has finished in the top five eight times so far this season.

Giuliana Frutos continued her solid play with a sixth-place finish in the final tournament of the year before nationals. The freshman shot 78-73 to post 7-over. Frutos has finished in the top 10 six times this season.

Sophomore Nanami Hayakawa shot 77-75 to tie for seventh place at 8-over par. Nanami has finished in the top 10 11 times this season.

Olivia Heard played well in the first round shooting 74. The second round began with a quadruple bogey but the next 16 holes she played the course at 1-under and went into 18 at 3-over. A 13 on the par-5 18th hole led to an 11-over 83 and a T-14 finish at 13-over. 

The T-Birds final tournament of the season is NJCAA Women's Golf National Championship May 12-15 in Garden City, Kansas at Buffalo Dunes GC.