ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Aztec golfers Sara Kjellker and Bernice Olivarez Ilas wrapped up the second round at the NCAA Albuquerque Regional Tuesday.
After two rounds, Kjellker is tied for 18th overall and three strokes back from the final individual spot to advance to NCAA Championships. The top two individuals who are not on a qualifying team (top four) will move on.
Kjellker shot a 75 (+3) Tuesday. She bogeyed the first four holes but then settled down to birdie four of the next 10 holes. She would end up being two under par on her final six holes, which included back-to-back birdies on holes on 13 and 14.
Bernice Olivarez Ilas improved by six strokes Tuesday, moving up nine spots on the leaderboard. Her day was highlighted by an eagle on the par five 490-yard 14th hole. She was two under par through six holes (10-15) but then ran into some trouble on holes 16-18, bogeying each of them. She then rebounded to shoot a 37 with a birdie (hole one) and two bogeys (holes 4 & 8) in her second nine.
Individually, If the tournament ended today, Florida's Marina Escobar Domingo (-4) would advance as an individual, and there would be a playoff for the final individual slot between Sam Houston's Jennifer Herbst and New Mexico's Napat "Jenny" Lertsadwattana (-1).
The top four teams currently are Oregon (-8), Georgia (E), Texas (+1) and TCU (+7). Florida is the first team on the outside looking in at +8.
STAT OF THE DAY
San Diego State, who only has two golfers compared to five, is the only school to record two eagles.
THE NOTE
Sara Kjellker is averaging an even par (4.0) on par fours, tied for the fifth best of the tournament.
UP NEXT
The Aztec duo begins their final round on the 10th hole at 7:55 a.m. PT (8:55 a.m. MT) Wednesday.
NCAA Albuquerque Regional
UNM Championship Course (Par 72, 6,336 yards)
Individual Results – Top 5 Plus Individual Qualifiers & SDSU* - Out of 65 golfers
1. Briana Chacon (Oregon) – 134 – 65-69 (-10)
2. Jenny Bae (Georgia) – 137 – 68-69 (-7)
3. Marina Escobar Domingo (Florida)* – 140 – 68-72 (-4)
T-4. Hsin-Yu Lu (Oregon) – 141 – 71-70 (-3)
T-4. Sabrina Iqbal (TCU) – 141 – 68-73 (-3)
T-6. Jennifer Herbst (Sam Houston St.)* – 143 – 74-69
T-6. Napat Lertsadwattana (New Mexico)* – 143 – 74-69
T-18. Sara Kjellker (SDSU) – 145 – 71-75 (+2)
T-53. Bernice Olivarez Ilas (SDSU) – 154 – 80-74 (+10)
* The top two golfers who don't advance with their team (top four) will move on to the NCAA Championships