HCAC Women’s Golf Championships open on soggy day at Moose Landing

OTTAWA, Ohio – The 10-team Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference began the 2023 Women's Golf Championship on Friday with the first 18 holes of the 54-hole competition hosted by Defiance College at Moose Landing Country Club. This weekend's tournament is the first time the women's golf championships have been held during the spring season. 

The first tee shots were launched at 10 a.m. despite a steady rain shower that cleared out of the area for most of the afternoon, but the wet conditions continued to define the tournament's opening round.

Defending-champion Rose-Hulman closed the first day atop the team leaderboard with a round of 334, six shots ahead of Transylvania and Mount St. Joseph. Host Defiance closed the first 18 holes in sixth place after combining for a 373.

Individually, MSJ's Patricia Windholtz topped the leaderboard with Friday's best round of 80. She was followed closely by Rose-Hulman's Precious Saelee and Lauren Kaelin from Transy with twin rounds of 81.

Defiance's Winter Boroff (Convoy, Ohio/Lincolnview) closed the first day just seven shots off the lead with a team-best 87. She played the first nine holes to six-over par with the help of a birdie on the third and was limited to just three double-bogies. Cassady Van Dyke (Marysville, Ohio/Marysville) battled back after a triple bogey on the first for 93. Isabelle Vance (Continental, Ohio/Miller City) followed up with a 95 which included four pars on the front nine for a 45 at the turn. Mari Najar (Adrian, Mich./Marion) ended on a high note with a birdie on 18 before getting out of the weather with a 98.

Competition continues on Saturday with the second round beginning at 10 a.m. at Moose Landing with Round 3 concluding the championships on Sunday.

-JACKETS-