Emily Talley and Jessica Wallace could join their fellow University of Colorado seniors in attending commencement ceremonies on Friday, but they have more pressing issues at hand.
With the CU women’s golf team on the bubble in an NCAA regional it’s hosting at Colorado National Golf Club in Erie, the Buffs have some work to do if they’re to qualify for the national championship finals for the first time in program history.
So Talley and Wallace’s focus will be on rallying the team rather than donning a cap and gown.
“This is more important to me than the graduation ceremony would be,” said Wallace, who still has to take a couple of classes next month to receive her diploma.
“This is enough like a graduation out here,” Talley added, speaking of the regional tournament. “You’re ‘walking’ on your home course. This is awesome. This is where it is right now.”
But given that the Buffs are the 10th- or 11th-ranked team in the nation — and the No. 4 seed at the NCAA West Regional at Colorado National — they were hoping for a better opening round on Thursday. With a 9-over-par 297 total on their home course, the Buffs are in a three-way tie for seventh place in the 24-team field and trail leader Stanford by 10 strokes.
The top eight team finishers after 54 holes will earn berths in the NCAA Championship Finals.
The 297 total “probably is (disappointing), but we need to just take it one round at a time and definitely try to improve our score the next two rounds,” said sophomore Alex Stewart, CU’s No. 1 player.
Sophomore Kristin Coleman (pictured), the Buffs’ No. 5 player, matched her lowest score of the season by shooting a 1-under-par 71. That gives her a share of fourth place individually, four strokes behind leader Sydney Burlison of Stanford.
The problem was, no CU teammate followed Coleman’s lead. Stewart and Wallace carded 75s, Talley posted a 76 and Jennifer Coleman a 77.
And the end of the round wasn’t something to write home about. Talley went 5 over par for her last six holes and Stewart went 2 over for her last five, while Wallace went 4 over from her 12th through 16th holes.
“The greens are like U.S. Open greens,” CU coach Anne Kelly said. “They’re super fast. We’ve never seen the greens this fast before. But it’s great experience for these players. It is a championship course for sure.”
As for the other two Colorado-based teams competing, the University of Denver, making its 11th consecutive NCAA regional appearance, stands in 17th place at 304, while Northern Colorado is 21st at 311. The positive news is that the field is tightly packed, with the 10 teams from 10th to 19th place all within eight strokes of the final national qualifying spot.
“A day like today, you can lose the tournament; you don’t want to shoot yourself out of it,” DU coach Sammie Chergo said. “We did just OK. I don’t think anyone is happy with how they played today, but the good news is we’re in the middle of the pack and we have two days to go.”
DU junior Kelly Drack was high on the leaderboard after being 2 under par through 10 holes, but she went 5 over down the stretch and made a double bogey on the final hole when she pulled her second shot into a creek bed. Still, she led DU with a score of 75.
Talley, a four-year standout for CU, was likewise upset with her finish. She was 1 under par through 12 holes before finishing at 76.
“I had my first four-putt ever so that was no fun,” Talley said, referring to her four strokes from 30 feet on her 17th hole, No. 8 at Colorado National. “The greens are getting fast and I’m just a little hesitant with the putting. Other than that, I thought I hit the ball pretty well, but going 4 over in the last three holes is not a good way to finish. That’s no fun.
“It’ll be OK. We have two more rounds and we’re not too far off (the pace). We’re not in trouble. But being on your home course, you’re like, ‘I should know these greens. I should be comfortable on these greens.'”
Kristin Coleman, the first CU player off, had her best scoring round since the opening day of the season last September. She made five birdies, offset by four bogeys.
“It was a good round,” said Coleman, who is trying to keep an even-keel regardless of the stakes involved. “It’s just another tournament. It’s not any more pressure” than usual.
Kelly was certainly impressed by how her No. 5 player delivered on a day in which the other Buffs were just OK.
“Kristin did great,” Kelly said. “I’m really proud of her. She’s been working hard. You can tell she’s been close and she really came through today.”
The Buffs will begin their second round on Friday at 12:56 p.m. DU will start at 7:30 a.m. and UNC at 8:25.
CHIP SHOTS: In Friday’s second round, Talley and former CU teammate Emily Childs of Cal will be paired together at 1:07 p.m. Childs transferred from CU to Cal after her freshman season. … Somin Lee of Pepperdine, who grew up in the Denver area, shot a 3-over-par 75 in Thursday’s first round. Another Coloradan playing for an out-of-state school, Beth Buchner of New Mexico, opened with a 76. … Colorado State senior Brianna Espinoza, competing only as an individual, also posted a 76 on Thursday. … Eddie Payton, older brother of the late Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton, coaches the Jackson State women’s golf team, which is in 24th — and last place — after Thursday’s first round. … With Colorado National having some of its carts decked out in the colors and insignia of Pac-12 Conference schools, representatives from the five participating conference teams (CU, Stanford, Cal, UCLA and Oregon State) are riding around in “personalized” carts. … UCLA, the defending national champion and the top-ranked team in the country, stands in third place after the first round and trails leader Stanford by three.
NCAA West Regional
At Par-72 Colorado National GC in Erie
7. Colorado 297
4. Kristin Coleman 71; 42. Alex Stewart 75; 42. Jessica Wallace 75; 54. Emily Talley 76; 70. Jennifer Coleman 77.
17. Denver 304
42. Kelly Drack 75; 54. Tonje Daffinrud 76; 54. Rachael Watton 76; 70. Anna Christenson 77; 70. Sarah Faller 77.
21. Northern Colorado 311
42. Carleigh Silvers 75; 82. Chelsea Silvers 78; 82. Libby Avery 78; 106. Hannah McNeley 80; 120. Ali Nelson 84.
Other Scores of Local Interest
42. Somin Lee, Pepperdine, 75; 54. Brianna Espinoza, Colorado State, 76; 54. Beth Bucher, New Mexico, 76.
For complete scores, CLICK HERE.
