Ohio State
NCAA Championships
Same Score, Different Result for Buckeyes on Day Two of NCAA Championships – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/22/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
May 22, 2016
EUGENE, Ore. — Despite recording a 5-over 293 for the second time in as many days of the 2016 NCAA Championships, Ohio State saw it’s team standing drop from eighth to 14th place on Saturday (May 21). The leaderboard has tightened up entering Sunday’s third round with just 10 strokes separating third place from 15th place in the race to reach match play via a Top-8 showing after 72 holes. The field will be cut to 15 schools before the final dash of stroke play in round number four.
The Buckeyes own a three-shot cushion on 16th place while trailing eighth by five with potentially 36 holes to go.
Rio Watanabe has lifted herself into contention for the individual crown halfway through the competition. She is 6-under overall with scores of 70-68. Miami’s Demi Weber paces the 132-player field at 9-under (135). Watanabe’s 138 sum gives her a share of fourth place. The redshirt sophomore rattled off 21 consecutive bogey-free holes, beginning with her final nine on Friday, before slipping up on Saturday’s 13th hole. She responded well to the aberration, posting three straight pars and back-to-back birdies to close out the day. Watanabe has racked up nine birdies in total, more than twice as many than each of her four Buckeye teammates whom own four birdies apiece.
Katja Pogacar and Niki Schroeder are also two-time contributors to the team tally. Pogacar is tied for 67th place overall at 4-over. She registered rounds of 73-75 to rank second on the squad. Schroeder’s 75-76 both counted while her 151 total is tied with Jessica Porvasnik (77-74) for 94th place. Jaclyn Lee penciled in 75-77 to her scorecard to come in one shot back from Schroeder/Porvasnik.
Ohio State has shown the ability to excel on both the `Front 9' and `Back 9.’ The Buckeyes look to put together a complete 18 holes Sunday following an even par Back-9 effort Friday and 3-under Front-9 ledger Saturday.
BUCKEYE RESULTS
14th Team 293-293–586 (+10)
T-4th Rio Watanabe 70-68–138 (-6)
T-67th Katja Pogacar 73-75–148 (+4)
T-94th Niki Schroeder 75-76–151 (+7)
T-94th Jessica Porvasnik 77-74–151 (+7)
T-101st Jaclyn Lee 75-77–152 (+8)
Ohio State tees off starting at noon PT/3:00 p.m. ET for Sunday’s third round. The Buckeyes are paired with No. 16 Florida State and No. 15 Virginia.
