Golden Bears Hold Strong in Top-10 at Nationals

May. 15

FINDLAY, Ohio - Play resumed with two 18 hole rounds on Friday at the Findlay Country Club at the 2009 NCAA Division II Women's Golf National Championships with No. 30 Concordia University holding in the top-10 with 18 holes to play tomorrow. CU shot a 323 and a 334 this afternoon after stroking a 313 in the first round and are now 108 strokes over par as a squad, tied for eighth place with No. 14 Upper Iowa. Concordia junior Anne Martin (Ramsey, Minn.) had a strong day and has shot sub-80 scores in all three rounds, today posting a 75 and a 79 in the second and third rounds. She is ninth on the individual leaderboard to lead CU. RESULTS THROUGH ROUND 3

CU women's golf at the DII Championships

The Golden Bears and Peacocks continue their on-course rivalry at the National Championships. The two teams have dueled all season long in the league play, league championship play and regional competition. UIU is the only team from the Northern Sun to beat Concordia this season as well. The Golden Bears bested the Peacocks for the NSIC Championship before UIU took the NCAA Super Regional 3 title prior to nationals.

Now, with 18 holes to play, the NSIC powerhouses are knotted at nationals. Regardless of what happens on the course tomorrow, there is one thing for certain - the 16 spot gap in the national rankings will be minimized if not erased.

UIU trailed CU after the first round by six strokes and Concordia extended the lead to 12 after the second round. But Upper Iowa out-manuevered CU in round three by firing a 322 to tie things up.

Martin leads all NSIC golfers with her ninth place position. She has fired a 231 through three rounds and is playing +15 cumulative golf, or a +5 average per 18. Upper Iowa's Rachael Schmidt is the closest NSIC golfer to Martin and is tied for 17th, four strokes behind.

Martin has been consistent, producing the fourth most pars in the championship field of 72 golfers with 35 through 54 holes. Her top-flight play on par threes and par fives have solidified her place in the top-10. She is currently +2 on par three holes and on par five holes. Meanwhile, Concordia senior Jacquelyn Hauser has matched Martin's dominance of par three holes with a +2 mark of her own.

Hauser is tied for 38th in the field and is the fourth ranked NSIC golfer with a +26 (76-81-85=242).

Martin and Hauser's +2 play on par three holes is tied for third in the field, one stroke behind the two golfers with +1 marks.

The Golden Bears conclude their first run at the NCAA Division II Championships tomorrow morning. Continue to follow along LIVE throughout the day at the Official Championship Website.

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