ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Harding women's golf refused to yield ground in the demanding conditions of St. Joseph Country Club, battling to a 308 (+20) finish on Monday to claim a share of the lead after the opening round of the MWSU Women's Holiday Inn Express Invitational.
The Lady Bisons' score ties Southwestern Oklahoma for the top spot in the 19-team field. The challenging 5,822-yard, par-72 course proved difficult for the field, as evidenced by the average round score of 82.82, highlighting the quality of Harding's showing.
Harding's strong position was anchored by two golfers finishing inside the individual top 10. Senior Pilar Martinez and junior Sydney Kincade each carded a 4-over 76, placing them in a tie for fifth overall. Senior Madeleine Wilson finished just one stroke behind them with a 5-over 77, good for a tie for ninth place. Cooper Meyer rounded out the scoring with a 7-over 79 (T25).
Harding holds a two-stroke advantage over third-place Arkansas-Fort Smith, which shot a 310 (+22), and a three-stroke lead over Central Oklahoma, which sits in fourth with a 311 (+23). Only three strokes separate the top four teams heading into Tuesday.
The MWSU Women's Holiday Inn Express Invitational is being hosted by Missouri Western and is the fourth of five fall events for the Lady Bisons. Harding will look to convert their shared lead into an outright victory as they tee off for the final 18 holes Tuesday, Oct. 21. Tee times are not yet available.
