Sunday, February 25
Rio Verde, Ariz. (Rio Verde Country Club)
10:30 a.m.
Central Michigan University
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Rio Verde Invitational
CMU senior Ashley Goh posted her second consecutive 2-under 70 on Sunday to finish tied for 15th at the Rio Verde Invitational.
Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw
Goh Closes With Second Straight 2-under 70; Chippewas Finish Strong at Rio Verde
2/25/2024 7:11:00 PM | Women's Golf
RIO VERDE, Ariz. – Certainly, coach Ryan Williams and his Central Michigan women's golf team would have liked a better overall finish in the standings.
Yet considering the start, Williams' Chippewas took some big steps over the final two days at the Rio Verde Invitational at Rio Verde Country Club.
Ashley Goh fired a second consecutive 2-under par 70 and the Chippewas carded a 301 team score on Sunday, their best of their three in the 54-hole tournament.
The Chippewas shot 302 in Saturday's second round after opening with a 316 on Friday. They finished in 19th place in the 21-team field with a 919 total.
"The message after today and going forward (is) we've just got to keep getting better," Williams said. "It's always a learning process, a growing process, and I think we did a lot of that this week.
"We didn't have the start we wanted, and we got ourselves into a position we don't really like to be in, and I think it was a bit of a wakeup call, or a momentous point in our season after round one.
"The team responded really well. Those are two really sold rounds the last couple days and I think if we build off that and keep getting better, we'll be in a really good spot."
Goh, a senior from Malaysia, was tied for 58th place in the 102-player field after her first-round 78. Her back-to-back 70s catapulted her into a tie for 15th with a 2-over 218.
"I think she responded really well to a bad start to the tournament, a tough day," Williams said. "She battles. She can make birdies, she's capable of bouncing back and that's how she's able to do it so often.
"She has a really good head on her shoulders and that's what leads to that. She's extremely mature and really level out there. I'm proud of her, proud to see her respond that way and see her take a leadership role in getting us back into the tournament as well."
Goh overcame a double bogey on her second hole on Saturday to play her final 16 holes in 2-under. She bogeyed her second hole on Sunday and then played her final 16 in 1-under.
She finished on Sunday with back-to-back birdies, giving her nine red marks over her final 36 holes.
"Those are the types of things you need to move up and land the plane on some of those rounds, otherwise those rounds don't feel quite as good," Williams said.
CMU's Rachel Kauflin and Mackenzie Baustad both shot 4-over 76 on Sunday, Lexi Schulman carded an 81 while Alexis McMurray came in at 88.
The 76s were the low rounds of the tournament for both Kauflin and Baustad. The steady Kauflin finished at 231 and tied for 67th.
Goh wasn't the only Chippewa to close on a high note on Sunday, Williams said.
"Our last three holes we were 3-under as a team," he said, "and on our bad days we kind of tend to do the opposite so I think it's a point to continue to drive home with the team to have an attitude that we've got to finish strong.
"That we have opportunities in front of us, it doesn't always have to keep going poorly if you keep your head in the right place, which is what we did today."
Cal Baptist closed with a 291 team score for an 865 total and a five-shot win over Xavier and Illinois State. Ali Schrock of Illinois State shot a 2-under 70 on Sunday to finish at 5-under 211 to claim medalist honors.
"This tournament is really well run," Williams said. "It's always a great event for us to come to. The community at Rio Verde is amazing to us. We're really grateful for our hosts here and the community gets behind the event. Extremely grateful to (host) Western Michigan coach Kim Moore and everyone at Western who helps run such an awesome event. It's really a fun week for us."
The Chippewas next head to the Huntsville.org Intercollegiate, hosted by Samford, in Huntsville, Ala. March 4-6.
Yet considering the start, Williams' Chippewas took some big steps over the final two days at the Rio Verde Invitational at Rio Verde Country Club.
Ashley Goh fired a second consecutive 2-under par 70 and the Chippewas carded a 301 team score on Sunday, their best of their three in the 54-hole tournament.
The Chippewas shot 302 in Saturday's second round after opening with a 316 on Friday. They finished in 19th place in the 21-team field with a 919 total.
"The message after today and going forward (is) we've just got to keep getting better," Williams said. "It's always a learning process, a growing process, and I think we did a lot of that this week.
"We didn't have the start we wanted, and we got ourselves into a position we don't really like to be in, and I think it was a bit of a wakeup call, or a momentous point in our season after round one.
"The team responded really well. Those are two really sold rounds the last couple days and I think if we build off that and keep getting better, we'll be in a really good spot."
Goh, a senior from Malaysia, was tied for 58th place in the 102-player field after her first-round 78. Her back-to-back 70s catapulted her into a tie for 15th with a 2-over 218.
"I think she responded really well to a bad start to the tournament, a tough day," Williams said. "She battles. She can make birdies, she's capable of bouncing back and that's how she's able to do it so often.
"She has a really good head on her shoulders and that's what leads to that. She's extremely mature and really level out there. I'm proud of her, proud to see her respond that way and see her take a leadership role in getting us back into the tournament as well."
Goh overcame a double bogey on her second hole on Saturday to play her final 16 holes in 2-under. She bogeyed her second hole on Sunday and then played her final 16 in 1-under.
She finished on Sunday with back-to-back birdies, giving her nine red marks over her final 36 holes.
"Those are the types of things you need to move up and land the plane on some of those rounds, otherwise those rounds don't feel quite as good," Williams said.
CMU's Rachel Kauflin and Mackenzie Baustad both shot 4-over 76 on Sunday, Lexi Schulman carded an 81 while Alexis McMurray came in at 88.
The 76s were the low rounds of the tournament for both Kauflin and Baustad. The steady Kauflin finished at 231 and tied for 67th.
Goh wasn't the only Chippewa to close on a high note on Sunday, Williams said.
"Our last three holes we were 3-under as a team," he said, "and on our bad days we kind of tend to do the opposite so I think it's a point to continue to drive home with the team to have an attitude that we've got to finish strong.
"That we have opportunities in front of us, it doesn't always have to keep going poorly if you keep your head in the right place, which is what we did today."
Cal Baptist closed with a 291 team score for an 865 total and a five-shot win over Xavier and Illinois State. Ali Schrock of Illinois State shot a 2-under 70 on Sunday to finish at 5-under 211 to claim medalist honors.
"This tournament is really well run," Williams said. "It's always a great event for us to come to. The community at Rio Verde is amazing to us. We're really grateful for our hosts here and the community gets behind the event. Extremely grateful to (host) Western Michigan coach Kim Moore and everyone at Western who helps run such an awesome event. It's really a fun week for us."
The Chippewas next head to the Huntsville.org Intercollegiate, hosted by Samford, in Huntsville, Ala. March 4-6.
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