Solid Start

Monday, September 16

Rochester, Mich.

Central Michigan University

Golden Grizzlies Invitational

Freshman Zoe Vartyan putts during the first round of the Golden Grizzlies Invitational on Monday at Katke-Cousins Golf Course in Rochester.

Photo by: Jose Juarez

9/16/2019 7:27:00 PM | Women's Golf

Results

Chippewas just 1 shot back after first round at Oakland

By: Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com

ROCHESTER, Mich. – Smashing debut for Zoe Vartyan. And Claudia Salvador. And Padgett Chitty.

And their teammates were awfully good, too.

Vartyan shot a 1-over par 73 on Monday to lead the Central Michigan golf team in the season-opening Golden Grizzlies Invitational at Katke-Cousins Golf Course. Varytan is in second place and the Chippewas, who carded a 305 team score, are in second, one shot behind host Oakland in the six-team field.

Salvador shot 4-over 76, while CMU's Jamie Laude posted a 5-over 77, and Meghan Deardorff and Padgett Chitty both came in at 7-over 79.

The 305 team total ties for the fourth-lowest in program history and Vartyan's 73 is the 10^th best by a Chippewa. It is the first collegiate tournament for Vartyan, Salvador and Chitty, all of whom are freshmen. Laude and Deardorff are juniors.

"I'm not surprised to be honest," CMU coach Jim Earle said. "We return two really solid players in Jami and Meghan in the starting lineup. Just what I've seen in practice leading up to this event, these are some good golfers. We kept a level head out there.

"We had a few hiccups, but we stayed away from the big numbers, which is something we haven't done in the past. The thing that makes me most happy is I know we can go lower. I think we have the possibility of going sub-300 tomorrow."

The tournament is scheduled to conclude on Tuesday with the final 18-hole round beginning at 9 a.m. Just two shots separate the Grizzlies (304) from third-place Purdue-Fort Wayne (306) with the Chippewas in between.

"Oakland is a really, really good team," Earle said. "And we've never bested Oakland before in school history. Purdue-Fort Wayne is pretty solid this season as well. They're just as improved this season as we are. It's going to be a shootout tomorrow and I think the team that makes the least number of mistakes is going to win."

Vartyan stands three shots behind leader Kay Zubkus of Oakland. Salvador is among a group tied for fifth, while Laude is in a group tied for 10^th. Also in that latter group is CMU freshman Ashley Liles, who is playing the tournament as an individual.

Deardorff and Chitty are among a group tied for 18^th. CMU junior Rachel Leucuta, who is also playing is an individual, shot 85 on Monday.

Deardorff made four birdies in her round, tying for the second most in the 38-player field, while Vartyan made 12 pars, tying her for the second most. She had just one double bogey in her round.

"Zoe looked good from tee to green and when she got on the green she got down to business," Earle said. "Pretty nice performance for your first collegiate event. She was just about as solid as you can get, hitting it long, straight and rolling in some putts and it's a difficult golf course."

Liles, another member of CMU's outstanding freshman class, showed what she could do as well in her round of 77. She made no worse than a bogey while carding nine pars and two of the Chippewas' 13 birdies. CMU shared the lead in that category with Oakland.

"There's competition amongst the team and I think that's only going to make everybody a stronger competitor," Earle said. "It's a nice problem to have."