NEWTON, Kan. – The Oklahoma Baptist women's golf team shot 1-under par in the opening round of the Newman Invitational before closing with a 296 (+8) to place third on Monday. The Bison finished ahead of nationally ranked Rogers State and two strokes behind No. 39 Augustana University, the tournament's runner-up. For the event, OBU shot 7-over-par.
OBU's 287 (-1) is the lowest round in the program's NAIA and Division II history. The next closest round in recent history came in 2019 when the team shot a 12-over 300 in the final round of the HSU Spring Invitational.
Freshman Morgan Becker and senior Josie Patterson paced the Bison with 70s (-2) through the first 18, career-low rounds for both players. Becker matched her career-best in round two to card a 4-under-par for the tournament, the best finish in Oklahoma Baptist history, to place in a tie for fifth.
Becker's opening run featured two birdies and a tie of the team's best mark of 1-under-par on the back nine. Her birdie on the last hole in the second round lifted OBU to its third-place finish.
Patterson closed with a 75 (+3) to place in a tie for 11th. Patterson was nearly flawless on the front nine in round one, sinking four of her five birdies en route to a 3-under-par finish.
The duo's first-round card was the lowest in the DII era and the first 2-under-par finish since Whitney Manley accomplished the feat in 2014.
Hayden Meiser and Karlee Holcomb trailed in 17th and a tie for 20th. Meiser fired a 73 (+1) before shooting a 75 (+3) in the final round, while Holcomb carded rounds of 74 (+2) and 76 (+4).
Valentina Nunez-Butzonitch turned in a 79 (+7) before shooting an 80 (+8) in her last 18 to finish in a tie for 45th.
Lindyn Ross and Rylei Gunter, competing as individuals, finished in ties for 57th and 64th. Ross sunk six birdies today, while Gunter's first-round 79 featured the team's fourth-best card on the front nine (+1).
Oklahoma Baptist turns its sights to next Monday, April 10, for the Virginia Laas Invitational in Joplin, MO.
