Ball State University Athletics
Photo by: Ball State University Creative Services
Moritz Brushes off Poor Conditions to Buoy Cardinals at Purgatory
April 19, 2019 | Women's Golf
Ball State finishes opening round of MAC Championships tied for sixth place
NOBLESVILLE, Ind. -- Purgatory Golf Club bills itself as "Your Gateway to Golfing Heaven."
Friday … not so much. And through no fault of its own.
But there was nothing heavenly about the discomfort Mother Nature inflicted upon the 50 players who teed it up in the opening round of the MAC Women's Golf Championships.
A cold, wet wind met them at the first tee and never relented. Temperatures hovered in the 40's but felt more like the 30's. Gusts blew around 20 miles per hour. Gloves were damp, shoes were soaked, and scores were high. Crazy high. An average of nearly 11-over par high.
But none of that seemed terribly bothersome to Ball State's Hadley Moritz. Her round of 4-over par 76 was bettered by only four golfers in the field, as the freshman buoyed the Cardinals into a tie for sixth place out of the 10 teams.
Moritz bogeyed three of her first four holes but didn't drop another shot on the front nine. She birdied two holes on the back, 10 and 18, to close out her day in style and will enter the second round just two shots behind tournament leader Saranlak Tumfong of Toledo.
Ball State's team score of 324 (+36) identically matched that of Friday's playing partner Eastern Michigan. The Cardinals also counted an 81 from Morgan Lewis, an 83 from Manon Tounalom and an 84 from Liz Kim.
In somewhat of a surprise, Toledo sits atop the leaderboard after round one. Not that the Rockets aren't good. They are. But second-place Kent State, two shots back, is ranked 10th in the country and has won all 20 MAC Championships ever contested. Of course, Toledo nearly dethroned the Golden Flashes three years ago on the same course.
But there are still two rounds to play this weekend. Ball State's Saturday tee times are scheduled to start at 9:50 a.m. The final round is slated for Sunday.
Top Teams
1. Toledo, 303 (+15)
2. Kent State, 305 (+17)
3. Northern Illinois, 310 (+22)
4. Akron, 317 (+29)
5. Ohio, 321 (+33)
---
T6. Ball State, 324 (+36)
Ball State Scores
T5. Hadley Moritz, 76 (+4)
T23. Morgan Lewis, 81 (+9)
T34. Manon Tounalom, 83 (+11)
T39. Liz Kim, 84 (+12)
T48. Emily Knouff, 87 (+15)
Friday … not so much. And through no fault of its own.
But there was nothing heavenly about the discomfort Mother Nature inflicted upon the 50 players who teed it up in the opening round of the MAC Women's Golf Championships.
A cold, wet wind met them at the first tee and never relented. Temperatures hovered in the 40's but felt more like the 30's. Gusts blew around 20 miles per hour. Gloves were damp, shoes were soaked, and scores were high. Crazy high. An average of nearly 11-over par high.
But none of that seemed terribly bothersome to Ball State's Hadley Moritz. Her round of 4-over par 76 was bettered by only four golfers in the field, as the freshman buoyed the Cardinals into a tie for sixth place out of the 10 teams.
Moritz bogeyed three of her first four holes but didn't drop another shot on the front nine. She birdied two holes on the back, 10 and 18, to close out her day in style and will enter the second round just two shots behind tournament leader Saranlak Tumfong of Toledo.
Ball State's team score of 324 (+36) identically matched that of Friday's playing partner Eastern Michigan. The Cardinals also counted an 81 from Morgan Lewis, an 83 from Manon Tounalom and an 84 from Liz Kim.
In somewhat of a surprise, Toledo sits atop the leaderboard after round one. Not that the Rockets aren't good. They are. But second-place Kent State, two shots back, is ranked 10th in the country and has won all 20 MAC Championships ever contested. Of course, Toledo nearly dethroned the Golden Flashes three years ago on the same course.
But there are still two rounds to play this weekend. Ball State's Saturday tee times are scheduled to start at 9:50 a.m. The final round is slated for Sunday.
Top Teams
1. Toledo, 303 (+15)
2. Kent State, 305 (+17)
3. Northern Illinois, 310 (+22)
4. Akron, 317 (+29)
5. Ohio, 321 (+33)
---
T6. Ball State, 324 (+36)
Ball State Scores
T5. Hadley Moritz, 76 (+4)
T23. Morgan Lewis, 81 (+9)
T34. Manon Tounalom, 83 (+11)
T39. Liz Kim, 84 (+12)
T48. Emily Knouff, 87 (+15)
Players Mentioned
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