Buffs Finish Briar’s Creek Invitational 13th

JOHN'S ISLAND, S.C. – Colorado's Hailey Schalk recorded her first collegiate top-20 finish on Tuesday, finishing in a tie for 15th at the 2022 Briar's Creek Invitational.
 
The women's golf team ended up 13th overall in the field of 17 teams. The Buffs, who finished with a 900 (301-302-297), finished one stroke behind Tulane and Nebraska, as each carded a final score of 899. Conversely, CU had a one-stroke advantage over Wisconsin and Minnesota, as both scored a 901 to tie for 14th.
 
Play had been suspended before the second round was finished on Monday. Teams had between three-five holes left to play and when all was said and done, Colorado was 15th in the team standings with a 302. Immediately after the round was completed, the third round began and the Buffs went to work. CU cut five strokes off their second round score, finishing with a 297 to move up the team leaderboard two spots to 13th.
 
Campbell won the tournament after finishing with an 11-under 853. The Camels carded all three of their rounds in the 280s (281, 288, 284) and finished 11 strokes ahead of second-place Michigan (864--284-293-287).
 
Schalk finished strong to lead the Buffs for the second straight tournament. Her finish (t15th) is her best finish to date and is her first collegiate top-20 finish. She also carded her best tournament score (219). Her previous best was 221, which she shot last week (March 7-8) at the Juli Inkster Meadow Club Collegiate, which is also where she recorded her previous best finish.
 
Schalk shot a 71 in her first round and was doing well in her second round when play was suspended, sitting at 2-over. When she was able to finish her round Tuesday morning, she carded a 74, making par on the three holes she had left to finish. She stayed consistent in her last round, just like the first two. Through the front nine, she was 2-over, making seven pars. Her back nine was even with one birdie and one bogey, and she finished with her second 74 of the event.
 
Diane Baillieux finished tied for 45th overall with a 226. Like Schalk, she had three final holes remaining in the second round. She made par on the first, followed by a bogey and finished by making par on No. 18 to card a 75. She ended up carding another 75 in the third round with two birdies and 12 pars to finish 10-over for the event.
 
Natalie Vo and Lauren Gooding each had four holes left in their second rounds. Vo carded a 76 as she made par on her four final holes while Gooding shot a 77, finishing with a birdie, bogey and two pars on the last holes.
 
Gooding's third round was her best 18 of the tournament as she fired a 1-over. She started on No. 2 and through the first eight made six pars while adding one birdie and one bogey. She made par on all but one hole on the back nine to finish 1-over before making par on the final hole of the tournament. Her 227 tied her for 48th.
 
Vo ended up in a tie for 56th. After carding a 77 in her first round and a 76 in her second, she finished the tournament with a 75 in the third round.
 
Malak Bouraeda was 4-over in the second round with five holes left to finish as play started Tuesday morning. She made two pars to start before carding a bogey on No. 18. On No. 1, she recorded a double-bogey and made par on the final hole (79). She cut three strokes off her second round, finishing with a 76 in the third round with one birdie and 12 pars. Bouraeda finished tied for 77th.
 
"We showed signs of progress throughout the event," head coach Anne Kelly said. "Hailey Schalk is coming into her own as a college player. We are definitely missing Ellie Gower and are hoping that she will be healthy and ready to go for the next event. The team is working hard, we just need to keep plugging away and eliminate the simple mistakes and three putts."
 
Boston College's Nathalie Irbacher took home the medalist honors after shooting a 5-under 211. She carded rounds of 74, 65 and 72, besting Emma Schimpf (College of Charleston) and Ashley Lau (Michigan) by one stroke (212).
 
The Buffaloes will head to the ASU/PING Invitational, March 25-27, in Phoenix, Ariz. The tournament is hosted by Arizona State at the Papago Golf Course.