COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho – Utah Valley University senior
Kaylee Shimizu led the Wolverines at the Coeur d'Alene Resort Collegiate Invitational by recording a top-25 finish at the 54-hole event on Monday and Tuesday at Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.
Shimizu fired rounds of 72, 75 and 76 on her way to tying for 24th with a 10-over-par 223. The senior also led the team in birdies at the event by carding a total of seven over the three rounds.
Freshman
Victoria Estrada had a big final round for UVU by carding a 1-under-par 70 to finish the Coeur d'Alene Resort Invite in a tie for 49th place with a 15-over-par 228. After recording scores of 82 and 76 on Monday, Estrada – who participated in the tournament as an individual – then responded by tallying Utah Valley's only under-par round of the tournament by carding the 1-under 70 on Tuesday. The 70 marked Estrada's first round of under-par at the collegiate level and was the third-best score of any competitor on the day.
Senior
Kate Williamson was next for UVU by placing 61st with an 18-over-par 231 (75-75-81), while sophomore
Nathalie Irlbacher tied for 64th (81-75-78—234), junior
Bailey Henley tied for 72nd (76-76-85—237), and freshman
Lauren Taylor rounded out UVU's competitors in 80th place (81-77-83—241).
As a team, UVU finished in 16th place with a 923 (304-301-318). The host Gonzaga Bulldogs won the event with a 16-over-par 868 (284-287-297), while BYU finished second with an 872 (299-286-287), Nevada third 291-292-293—876), Pac-12 foe Washington State fourth (290-295-297—882), and North Dakota State took fifth (307-293-289—889). BYU's Allysha Mae Mateo claimed individual medalist honors after carding a final-round 68 to finish the tournament with a 1-under-par 212 (70-74-68).
The Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course features the first and only
floating green where the green of hole No. 14 is floating out on Lake Coeur d'Alene. Despite rough and windy weather, the Wolverines finished with a total of three birdies on the renowned hole No. 14 at the event with birdies coming from Shimizu, Estrada and Irlbacher.
The competition marked Utah Valley's second tournament of the young season.
The Wolverines will now be off until Oct. 7-9 when they'll head to Las Cruces, New Mexico, to take part at the NM State Aggie Invitational at NMSU Golf Course.
