Spartans Have One Last Chance To Climb Behind Their Top Golfer

Michigan State's women's golf team fights to rise through the ranks amidst stiff competition at the prestigious Folds of Honor Collegiate Tournament.

Michigan State’s women’s golf team held steady through the second round at the Folds of Honor Collegiate, posting a 13-over-par 301 on Tuesday and sitting ninth in the 12-team women’s field at American Dunes Golf Club in Grand Haven.

The Spartans are at 21-over par 597 after 36 holes, following their opening-round 296 with the 301 on day two. At the top of the leaderboard, Kansas continues to set the pace at 5-under par 571, six strokes clear of Arizona, which stands second at 1-over par 577. Florida State is third at 2-over par 578, Texas A&M is fourth at 3-over par 579, and Duke is fifth at 5-over par 581.

Sophomore Sarisa Pojanalai has been Michigan State’s steadiest player so far. She sits tied for 21st at 2-over par 146 after back-to-back rounds of 73.

Senior Keeley Marx and sophomore Lucia Valderrama are tied for 31st at 5-over par 149. Marx followed her opening 73 with a 76 on Tuesday, while Valderrama carded a 75 after opening with a 74.

Senior Ana Sofia Murcia is tied for 40th at 9-over par 153 after rounds of 76 and 77, and freshman Payton Haugen is tied for 42nd at 10-over par 154 with matching 77s.

The event has expanded beyond its roots. The Folds of Honor Collegiate began five years ago as a men’s tournament, and this is the second year it has featured a women’s field.

The idea came from MSU men’s golf head coach Casey Lubahn and Lt. Col.

Dan Rooney, the former Kansas golfer who founded Folds of Honor. Since 2007, Folds of Honor has awarded nearly 73,000 scholarships totaling more than $340 million to children of U.S. military members and first responders who were killed or wounded in the line of duty.

The combined event features 27 teams from 22 different colleges and universities, including eight programs ranked among the top 30 in preseason polls, plus Service Academies, a Division II team on each side, and a men’s and women’s HBCU.

Golf Channel is carrying live coverage from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and again from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., with rebroadcasts also scheduled. Last year’s Collegiate drew nearly one million viewers across 12 live and replay telecasts.

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