LAS VEGAS, Nev. (February 16, 2021) – Posting consecutive rounds of 1-over par 73, junior
Ashley Croft concluded the Rebel Beach Invitational in a tie for 12th to lead the Northern Arizona golf team at their season-opening tournament at Spanish Trail Country Club. As a team, the Lumberjacks finished in 13th at 68-over par 932 (311-308-313).
"It was nice to be back in competition," said head coach
Brad Bedortha. "It's been a long time since we've been able to travel as a team and play so we're grateful to have the opportunity to do that again. But I'm obviously extremely disappointed with how we performed. The things that we should be able to do, we weren't able to do."
Tuesday's action at the Rebel Beach Invitational began with the conclusion of Monday's suspended second round before the third and final round commenced. Tulsa overtook Fresno State – who led after the first and second rounds – for the team title at 23-over par 887. Fresno State finished three strokes behind at 26-over par 890.
Croft was the star of the tournament for the 'Jacks, who improved on her first round 5-over par 77 to shoot 73 in the final two rounds. After finishing Monday in a tie for 46th, Croft tied for 12th at 7-over par 223 (77-73-73), marking her ninth career top 20 tournament finish.
Croft tied for fourth in the tournament with 37 pars and tied junior
Aleksandra Chekalina for the team-lead with six birdies.
"I was glad to see Ashley play so well," Bedortha said. "She had two great final rounds. There were flashes of things that I liked outside of that here and there, but the execution to perform at that level (as a team) was disappointing."
Chekalina and freshman
Ekaterina Malakhova tied for 54th individually at 18-over par 234. Chekalina rebounded from a first round 10-over par 82 to finish at 82-74-78, while Malakhova's best round of the tournament came on Monday with a 2-over par 74 on her way to 74-77-83.
Chekalina and Malakhova both totaled 34 pars, while Malakhova was third on the team with five birdies over the course of the Rebel Beach Invitational.
Junior
Elle Kocourkova and sophomore
Lorel Hayward rounded out NAU's lineup at 26-over par 242 (79-84-79) and 37-over par 253 (81-87-85) respectively. Playing as an individual, graduate student
Klara Kucharova shot 27-over par 243 (82-78-83).
NAU will return to the course in two weeks at the Grand Canyon Invitational on March 1-2 in Phoenix.
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Full Team Leaderboard
1. Tulsa – 295-293-299 = 887 (+23)
2. Fresno State – 287-297-306 = 890 (+26)
3. Gonzaga – 292-296-305 = 893 (+29)
4. Iowa – 304-284-307 = 895 (+31)
5. New Mexico – 295-290-311 = 896 (+32)
6. UTSA – 300-300-298 = 898 (+34)
7. UNLV – 303-296-303 = 902 (+38)
8. Grand Canyon – 295-300-309 = 904 (+40)
9. BYU – 295-30-313 = 911 (+47)
10. Colorado State – 301-311-306 = 918 (+54)
11. SMU – 306-300-317 = 923 (+59)
12. Nevada – 301-310-317 = 928 (+64)
13. Northern Arizona – 311-308-313 = 932 (+68)
NAU Individual Scores
T12.
Ashley Croft – 77-73-73 = 223 (+7)
T54.
Aleksandra Chekalina – 82-74-78 = 234 (+18)
T54.
Ekaterina Malakhova – 74-77-83 = 234 (+18)
T67.
Elle Kocourkova – 79-84-79 = 242 (+26)
T69.
Klara Kucharova* – 82-78-83 = 243 (+27)
T72.
Lorel Hayward – 81-87-85 = 253 (+37)
* Playing as individual
