Malakhova Tied for Second After First Day of Bobcat Desert Classic

GOODYEAR, Ariz. (April 11, 2022) – After the first day of the Bobcat Desert Classic, the Northern Arizona golf team is within striking range of Santa Clara for the team tournament title with 18 holes remaining. The Lumberjacks are second – seven strokes behind the Broncos – after recording a 23-over par 599 (293-306) on Monday at the Golf Club of Estrella in Goodyear.
 
NAU sat atop the leaderboard at the end of the first round, but Santa Clara moved ahead behind the lowest second round score in the 11-team field. The Broncos, at 16-over par 592 (294-298), were eight strokes better than the 'Jacks in the afternoon round. Santa Clara and NAU are the two-highest ranked teams in the field.
 
For the Lumberjacks, sophomore Ekaterina Malakhova is in a three-way tie for second individually after carding a 3-over par 147 (71-76). Malakhova is seven strokes behind Santa Clara's Claire Choi, who is the only golfer under par through two rounds at 4-under par 140 (68-72).
 
Malakhova found her stride after a slow start to the day. After her second double bogey of the morning, Malakhova sat at 3-over par through her first six holes. A birdie on hole 8 set Malakhova in the right direction as she recorded four birdies in her final 12 holes to play the first round to 1-under par 71, her team-leading eighth par or better round this season.
 
Entering the second round in a tie for third individually, Malakhova moved up a spot by the end of the afternoon despite shooting a 4-over par 76. She did tally four more birdies though as she finished the day with a tournament-high nine birdies.
 
Malakhova is one of four Lumberjacks in the top 15 on the individual leaderboard with junior Lorel Hayward next at 7-over par 151 (74-77), good for a tie for 10th. Her Monday total was one stroke off her career-best 36-hole total. Hayward recorded par on 15 of 18 holes in the first round and is currently in line for her best career individual finish.
 
Senior Aleksandra Chekalina is tied for 13th after posting back-to-back rounds of 76 to finish the day at 8-over par 152. Chekalina recorded pars on her 10 holes of the day and then proceeded to par 14 of her 18 holes in the second round. Overall, Chekalina posted 27 pars on the day, one off Choi's tournament-high of 28.
 
Senior Elle Kocourkova was tied for fifth heading into the afternoon, but finished the day tied for 15th. In the first round, Kocourkova was hot from the shotgun start playing the front nine to 2-under par and ultimately concluded the morning at even-par 72. Kocourkova struggled in the afternoon, shooting 9-over par 81 to reside at 9-over par 153 going into Tuesday.
 
Finally, senior Ashley Croft improved as the day went on as she was four strokes better in the second round than in the first. Croft is tied for 32nd at 14-over par 158 (81-77).
 
With Malakhova leading the charge, NAU is tied with Southern Utah for the tournament-lead with 20 birdies. Kocourkova had four birdies, while Croft and Hayward both recorded three each. Chekalina's 27 pars was part of 113 as a team for the Lumberjacks, which is second-most on the day.
 
A 7:30 a.m. shotgun start will open the final round on Tuesday with the Lumberjacks in pursuit of their first tournament title in six years.
 
To stay up to date with the NAU golf team, follow the Lumberjacks on Twitter and Instagram.
 
Full Team Leaderboard
1. Santa Clara – 294-298 = 592 (+16)
2. Northern Arizona – 293-306 = 599 (+23)
3. Southern Utah – 301-299 = 600 (+24)
T4. Weber State – 297-317 = 614 (+38)
T4. Montana – 311-303 = 614 (+38)
6. Utah Valley – 301-315= 616 (+40)
7. Dixie State – 307-317 = 624 (+48)
8. Idaho State – 310-316 = 626 (+50)
9. Eastern Washington – 304-325 = 629 (+53)
10. Montana State – 315-320 = 635 (+59)
11. Northern Colorado – 316-323 = 639 (+63)
 
NAU Individual Scores
T2. Ekaterina Malakhova – 71-76 = 147 (+3)
T10. Lorel Hayward – 74-77 = 151 (+7)
T13. Aleksandra Chekalina – 76-76 = 152 (+8)
T15. Elle Kocourkova – 72-81 = 153 (+9)
T32. Ashley Croft – 81-77 = 158 (+14)