IN THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa women’s golf team travels to Chandler, Arizona, for a head-to-head match against Colorado on Monday. The event, which is the Hawkeyes’ first competition of the spring season, will be held at the Ocotillo Golf Club.
THE FORMAT
The two teams play 18-hole point stroke play scrimmage in Arizona. Eight players compete against each other. There is one point for the front nine, one for the back nine and one total point for the 18-hole round. Players can halve points for ties.
THE PREPARATION
The Hawkeyes are traveling with all eight players on the Spring 2023 roster.
THE FIELD
Iowa is up against the Buffaloes, ranked 71st in the Golfstat. Colorado is managed by head coach Anne Kelly and a trio of underclassmen in freshman Morgan Miller and sophomores Natalie Vo and Lauren Gooding.
OF COURSE
The Ocotillo Golf Club Course received a 4 1/2 star rating from Golf Digest and was voted one of the top courses to play in the state of Arizona. This course features scenic waterfalls and countless lakes on all 18 holes. It offers a 27 hole experience with three 9 hole sections on the gold, blue and white courses. The course was designed by Ted Robinson, Sr., who has designed golf courses throughout the United States and several in East Asia.
Freshmen shine in the fall
A trio of Hawkeye rookies — Shannyn Vogler, Riley Lewis and Madison Dabagia — led the fall season. Lewis leads the team with a 74.77 point average over nine rounds, while Vogler is second on the team with a 75.48 average. The trio had their best performance of the fall at the Ron Moore Intercollegiate on October 17-18, where Lewis placed 15th, Vogler 22nd and Dabagia 25th. Lewis showed the best individual performance on the last lap 68.
LAST TIME
The Hawkeyes placed 15th at the Marilynn Sunflower Invitational, finishing the tournament with a total of 805 (328-319-158) over 45 holes. (The tournament was shortened due to the weather.) Sophomore Paula Miranda led with a 196(+16)(81-77-38) and tied for 33rd place. She tallied six birdies, two of which came in her last nine holes where she hit a 38 (+2). As a team, the Hawkeyes averaged 15 birdies in their two-and-a-half-round outing.
ON THE CASSETTE
The Hawkeyes have six spring tournaments before heading to Pittsburgh for the 2023 Big Ten Championships. The team will travel coast-to-coast, meeting Louisiana, Arizona, Florida, South Carolina and California before heading north for their final regular-season tournament at the Lady Buckeye Invitational April 15-16 in Columbus, Ohio.
LOOKING AHEAD
Iowa will head south February 12-14 for its inaugural tournament and head to New Orleans for the Tulane Classic presented by Chad Brownstein.
