Jacob Jardel
Assistant Managing Editor
@JJardel_Writing
Cameron’s women’s golf team started their season with a top five finish at the Hawks Creek Invitational on Sept. 8 and 9 in Dallas.
The Lady Aggies, who entered the tournament as the returning champions, ended Tuesday at fourth place, thirty strokes behind champion McLennan Community College.
The Black and Gold finished off the first day of competition with a total round score of 312, eleven strokes behind first round leader Western Texas Community College. Head coach Rick Goodwin expressed that he and the team foresaw a better start to the tournament.
“There is no question we are not were we want to be on the leaderboard,” Goodwin said in a press release. “It’s a bit disappointing, we went in with some confidence because we won here a year ago. We’ve got some ground to make up on the leaders and the talent to put down some good scores.”
Senior Jaqueline Strickland led the way for the Aggies on day one, shooting a 75 overall and tying for fifth overall. Senior Candice Swartz put up a 78, junior Alexis Thompson finished a stroke behind Swartz.
Freshman Erin Hess finished the first day with an 80, tying for 21st in her debut round with Cameron. Sophomore Katie Johnston ended her day with an opening-round 86.
Two Cameron golfers also participated as individual competitors. Junior Robyn Moore finished with an opening round 81, while sophomore Bailey Brown carded an 84 on Monday.
The Lady Aggies followed up their first round with a 315 for an invitational score of 627, good enough for fourth place behind the first-place Highlassies (597).
Goodwin attributed the lateral performance to a tough wind on the course, but said in a press release that his team would continue working to improve for their next tournament.
“You’d like to improve from your first round score,” Goodwin said, “but of the ten teams entered nearly everyone else fell off as well. We’ll go on and work as a team and battle back against a tough field in California.”
Strickland was Cameron’s top finisher, matching her first round score of 75 for an overall 150. The score was enough to earn her a tie for fourth place and her fourth career top-5 finish.
Thompson finished in 13th place after carding a second-round 77 for a two-day total of 156. Swartz placed 19th with a 160 after shooting a second day 82, while Hess finished her first collegiate tournament just outside the top-20 with a 162 after carding an 82 on Tuesday.
Johnston tied for 30th after her second round score of 81 put her overall tournament score at 167. Individuals Moore and Brown finished 33rd and 34th, respectively. Moore’s second-day 88 gave her an overall 169, while Brown carded a 170 after an 86 on Tuesday.
The Lady Aggies hit the links again on Sept. 15 in San Diego for the Fall Preview at Torrey Pines.
Sophomore Alexis Thompson finished in 13th place after carding a second-round 77 for a two-day total of 156. Senior Candice Swartz placed 19th with a 160 after shooting a second day 82, while freshman Erin Hess finished her first collegiate tournament just outside the top-20 with a 162 after carding an 82 on Tuesday. Sophomore Katie Johnston tied for 30th after her second round score of 81 put her overall tournament score at 167.
Head Coach Rick Goodwin said in a press release that his team would continue working to improve for their next tournament.
“We’ll go on and work as a team and battle back against a tough field in California,” he said.
The Lady Aggies hit the links again on Sept. 15 in San Diego for the Fall Preview at Torrey Pines.