Huskers Hunt Titles in Texas

Michaela Vavrova and Kelli Ann Strand put together back-to-back impressive rounds to power Nebraska to second place in the team standings through 36 holes at the Sam Golden Invitational in Corinth, Texas on Monday.

Vavrova and Strand combined for 23 birdies over Monday's two rounds on their way to a combined 13-under-par to lead Nebraska to a 556 (-20) team score with back-to-back rounds of 278.

"We had a really nice start to the year," Nebraska Head Coach Jeanne Sutherland said. "We played with focus and composure all day, and I feel like we did a good job of taking what the golf course offered us."

As a team, the Huskers head to Tuesday's final round eight strokes back of the leaders from Houston. The Cougars scorched the par-72, 6,413-yard layout of the Oakmont Country Club with rounds of 272 (-16) and 276 (-12) to end the day at 548 (-28). UTSA (557) and the hosts from North Texas (559) sit right behind the Huskers, while Tulsa and Kennesaw State are tied for fifth at 560 in a 12-team field that features seven teams (Nebraska, North Texas, TCU, Texas Tech, Tulane, UTSA and BYU) that qualified for 2023 NCAA Regional competition.

Vavrova, a senior from Bojnice, Slovakia, completed the best one-day, 36-hole score of her college career at 137 (-7) after rounds of 69 and 68 on the par-72, 6,413-yard layout of the Oakmont Country Club. Her first round included five birdies and 11 pars to overcome back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 17 and 18. Vavrova's second round was even better with six birdies and 11 pars to help offset a double-bogey on No. 16 for her only blemish of the round.

Vavrova enters the final round in a tie for fifth at 137 (-7), just ahead of Strand, who closed the day in a tie for eighth at 138 (-6).

Strand got hot early in the first round, notching five birdies in a six-hole span (No. 11-16). The sophomore from Challis, Idaho added 10 pars against three bogeys to finish the first round at 70 (-2). She matched Vavrova's 68 (-4) in the second round, unleashing four birdies in a five-hole span (No. 3-7) to close the day strong after uncorking three consecutive birdies (No. 13-15) earlier in the round. Her seven second-round birdies and eight pars helped her overcome three bogeys.

Lena Hassert added a strong day in her second career lineup appearance. The junior from Kreuzau, Germany opened her third season at Nebraska with a collegiate career-best 69 (-3) that included six birdies and nine pars along with three bogeys. It smashed her previous career-best 74 (+2), which came at the 2022 Green Wave Classic to open last season.

Hassert added a second-round 70 (-2) that featured three birdies and 14 pars against just one bogey to close the day in a tie for 14th at 139 (-5).

Hassert, Strand and Vavrova are all within striking distance of individual leader Moa Svedenskiold from Houston, who finished the day at 134 (-10) after rounds of 66 and 68. Tulsa's Allyn Stephens sits in second at 135 (-9), while Houston's Ellen Yates (136) and UTSA's Daniela Abonce (136) are tied for fourth just one shot ahead of Vavrova (135). 

Overall, 19 golfers played the first 36 holes at five-under or better to sit within five shots of the lead heading into the final 18 holes.

Nebraska got a solid collegiate debut from freshman Arden Louchheim (Park City, Utah). The three-time Utah high school champion opened her career with a 70 (-2) that included five birdies and 11 pars in the first round. Her first-round total was one of Nebraska's four counting scores in the round, joining 69s by Hassert and Vavrova, along with Strand's 70, as the Huskers ended the round at 278.

Louchheim added a 73 (+1) in the second round to finish the day in a tie for 37th at 143 (-1).

Junior Miu Takahashi (Nasu-machi, Japan) contributed Nebraska's fourth counting score of the second round with a 72 (E) after managing a 74 (+2) in the first round. Takahashi's even-par second round joined 68s by Strand and Vavrova, along with Hassert's 70 to complete NU's 278 to end the day. Takahashi finished Monday in a tie for 49th at 146 (+2).

Senior Lindsey Thiele (Wahoo, Neb.) rounded out the Husker contingent by sitting in a tie for 53rd (+3) while playing as an individual outside the Husker lineup. After battling through an opening round the included a pair of double-bogeys to finish at 76 (+4), Thiele settled into a solid second round with a 71 (-1) that included Nebraska's first eagle of the season on the 533-yard, par-5 15th hole - the longest hole on the course. She added a birdie and 14 pars in the round to overcome just two bogeys.

Tuesday's final round will begin with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. Live scoring will be available on Huskers.com from Golfstat.

Sam Golden Invitational
Sept. 11-12, 2023
Oakmont Country Club (Corinth, Texas)
Par 72, 6,413 Yards

Team Standings (Two Rounds)
1. Houston - 272-276=548 (-28)
2. Nebraska - 278-278=556 (-20)
3. UTSA - 282-275=557 (-19)
4. North Texas - 278-281=559 (-17)
T5. Tulsa - 279-281=560 (-16)
T5. Kennesaw State - 283-277=560 (-16)
T7. Missouri - 288-276=564 (-12)
T7. Texas Tech - 286-278=564 (-12)
9. BYU - 285-288=573 (-3)
T10. TCU - 289-286=575 (-1)
T10. Tulane - 288-287=575 (-1)
12. Charlotte - 292-293=585 (+9)

Individual Standings (Two Rounds)
1. Moa Svedenskiold, Houston - 66-68=134 (-10)
2. Allyn Stephens, Tulsa - 67-68=135 (-9)
T3. Ellen Yates, Houston - 69-67=136 (-8)
T3. Daniela Abonce, UTSA - 68-68=136 (-8)
T5. Michaela Vavrova, Nebraska - 69-68=137 (-7)
T5. Maja Ambroziak, Texas Tech - 68-69=137 (-7)
T5. Nicole Abelar, Houston - 67-70=137 (-7)
T8. Katharina Anglett, North Texas - 71-67=138 (-6)
T8. Kelli Ann Strand, Nebraska - 70-68=138 (-6)
T8. Morgan Ellison, UTSA - 68-70=138 (-6)
T8. Shreya Pal, North Texas - 68-70=138 (-6)
T8. Lilly Thomas, Tulsa - 68-70=138 (-6)
T8. Caitlyn Campbell, Kennesaw State - 68-70=138 (-6)

Nebraska Individuals
T5. Michaela Vavrova - 69-68=137 (-7)
T8. Kelli Ann Strand - 70-68=138 (-6)
T14. Lena Hassert - 69-70=139 (-5)
T37. Arden Louchheim - 70-73=143 (-1)
T49. Miu Takahashi - 74-72=146 (+2)
*T53. Lindsey Thiele - 76-71=147 (+3)
*competing as an individual outside Nebraska's lineup