Women’s golf scores big in Missouri

The Wichita State women’s golf team returned from the Johnie Imes Invitational on Tuesday with three broken records, three personal bests and an overall eighth place ranking.

As a whole, the team shot 292-297-291 for a total of 880, which broke the previous 54-hole best record of 896.

The Shockers started the tournament Monday and managed early on to place themselves in the top 10, despite being seeded 14th for the tournament. The women’s golf team has beat all of this season’s seed predictions to date.

“The tournament went very nice,” head coach Tom McCurdy said. “If we continue to beat our seed, we will keep moving up in the national rankings.”

The tournament went particularly well for senior Byrce Schroeder, who topped her career best 54-hole performance with a score of 211. Not only is Schroeder’s score a personal best, but it is also the best in the women’s golf program history, previously held by senior Meghan Schuetz and junior Maria Alejandra Villalobos (216).

Schroeder also shot her first hole-in-one.

“The course fit my game really well,” Schroeder said. “I didn’t see the hole-in-one, but I saw my parents jumping up and down, which was pretty cool. They drove 15 hours from Pueblo (Colorado) to see me play, I’m so appreciative and thankful for their support.

I thank God everyday that I’m able to go out and play a game that I love, and have a college career out of it.”

Schroeder finished the tournament tied for sixth place with scores of 71-73-67-211.

Sophomore Taryn Torgerson also faired well, finishing in 25th place and with a career-best 54-hole score of 218. Her second round of play also resulted in her career-best round score of 71. Torgerson shot 72-71-75-218 overall.

Looking ahead in the schedule, McCurdy said the team is just trying to improve.

“We’re trying to clean up mistakes,” McCurdy said. “Mental discipline — all of the girls have different playing styles and when you’re out competing you just lose focus and those are points that cost us.”

McCurdy said he is pleased with the broken 54-hole record, saying their performance practically blew the last record out of the water. He also said the team is out performing where they were at this time last year.

With this is mind, the Shockers will continue to work on fixing sloppy mistakes, McCurdy said.

According to McCurdy, even Schroeder, after her record-breaking performance, told him she could have done better in regards to the bogies she shot.

“Everyone knows they left a lot of shots out,” McCurdy said. “Bryce was upset about bogies; everyone could’ve shot lower. No one is getting complacent.”

The Shockers will have a little more than a week to prepare for their next tournament, the Ron Moore Intercollegiate, which will take place Oct. 10 in Highlands Ranch, Colorado.

The team, as of today, will enter the tournament as the 10th seed of the 15 teams.