In the picturesque setting of Rolling Hills Estates, California, the Colorado women's golf team found themselves in ninth place after the first day of competition at the GameAbove Invitational. The Buffaloes were spearheaded by Carolyn Fuller, who showcased her skills by carding a stellar 3-under 69 in the second round, bringing her to even par for the tournament. This impressive performance catapulted her 22 spots up the leaderboard, landing her in a tie for seventh place overall.
Fuller’s journey was a tale of resilience. After a challenging first round of 75, she bounced back with a consistent afternoon performance, particularly shining on the back nine with a score of 34. Her efforts were crucial in driving Colorado’s late-round surge.
"Rolling Hills demanded every ounce of focus today," Colorado head coach Madeleine Sheils noted. "The course requires sharp decision-making on each shot, and we struggled to maintain that consistency. Our short game wasn't as precise as needed, costing us valuable strokes around the greens."
Despite the team's hurdles, Fuller’s second round was a standout on a course where low scores were a rarity. "Carolyn's play was exceptional," Sheils added.
"Scoring three under on this course is impressive, as par is often the best you can aim for on many holes. Her focus and course management were key."
Elsewhere on the team, Ellen O'Shaughnessy wrapped up the day at 9-over, following a 75 in her second round, while Teemapat Pateetin finished at 7-over. Vanessa Ngo recorded an 80, taking her to 13-over, and Maya McVey completed the lineup with a 78, sitting at 16-over after 36 holes.
As they head into the final round on Tuesday, Colorado aims to ascend the leaderboard. Leading the pack is No.
2 USC with a commanding 13-under par, trailed by No. 4 Texas A&M at 1-over.
"We discussed the importance of quick learning from today’s experience," Sheils emphasized. "We need to adapt swiftly and strategically approach shots into and around these greens."
Colorado will tee off alongside Arizona and UCLA for the final round, starting on the 10th tee at 9 a.m. MT.
BUFFALO INDIVIDUALS
- Carolyn Fuller: 75-69-144 (E)
- T32. Teemapat Pateetin: 74-77-151 (+7)
- T37. Ellen O'Shaughnessy: 78-75-153 (+9)
- T49. Vanessa Ngo: 77-80-157 (+13)
- Maya McVey: 82-78-160 (+16)
TOP 5 INDIVIDUALS
- Kylie Chong, USC: 71-66-137 (-7)
- Bailey Shoemaker, USC: 68-71-139 (-5)
- T3. Celine Chen, SMU: 69-72-141 (-3)
- T3. Cayetana Fernandez Garcia-Poggio, Texas A&M: 73-68-141 (-3)
- T5. Baiyok Sukterm, Eastern Michigan: 72-71-143 (-1)
- T5. Catherine Park, USC: 74-69-143 (-1)
TEAM SCORES
- USC: 283-280-563 (-13)
- Texas A&M: 291-286-577 (+1)
- Eastern Michigan: 300-285-585 (+9)
- Oregon: 288-298-586 (+10)
- SMU: 288-300-588 (+12)
- Tulsa: 287-302-589 (+13)
- Arizona: 296-294-590 (+14)
- UCLA: 303-294-597 (+21)
- Colorado: 304-299-603 (+27)
- Long Beach State: 308-300-608 (+32)
- Hawai'i: 314-312-626 (+50)