Story Links
AUGUSTA, Mich. – The NMU women’s golf team concluded round one of the DU Panther Invite in tenth place of 12 with an opening round +44 (332).
The ‘Cats were led by Aavra Relich, who sits T30 at +8 (80). Relich, who started on the 14th, opened with four pars before carding a birdie on the par-five 18th, opening her round at -1 through four holes. Three-straight bogey’s brought her to +2 before her second birdie, coming on the par-three fourth, brought her back to +1. Back-to-back double-bogey’s ensued, and three squares in her final four holes saw her end the day at eight over.
Maddy Martens (+10) and Payton Donnelly (+11) were the next behind Relich, finishing T40 and T43 after 18 holes, respectively. Martens carded three birdies on her round, all coming on the front nine, a stretch where she was +1 in eight holes with her three birdies and three pars. Donnelly failed to record a birdie, but carded an eagle on the 463-yard par-five ninth, just the sixth recorded eagle in NMU women’s golf history and second-longest hole an eagle was recorded on.
Four strokes back of Donnelly and rounding out the team scoring was Abbie Pietila, who carded a +15 (87). Pietila carded her lone birdie of the day on the par-four sixth. Gabriella Moreau (+22) and Abby Luke (Individual, +23) rounded out the ‘Cats in the field.
The tournament concludes tomorrow with the final 18 holes from Stonehedge GC. Stay tuned to NMUwildcats.com and the NMU Golf social media channels for tee times.
