KU Women’s Golf Sits First and Ninth after Day One at Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational

Day 1 Results (two rounds)

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas women’s golf duo of Yupaporn Kawinpakorn and Pornvipa Sakdee each shot a two-round 143 (-1) to lead the KU Blue team after day one of the 18^th Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational at Alvamar Golf Club Championship Course here Monday.
 
Kansas is the two-time defending Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational champs and fielded two teams with Kansas Blue and Kansas Crimson. The Blue squad consisted of Kawinpakorn, Sakdee, freshman Liz Winyarat, freshman Kallie Gonzales and senior Gabriella DiMarco, while the Red team included senior Minami Levonowich, senior Michelle Woods, junior Mackenzie Thayer and freshman MacKenzie Sexe.
 
Entering Tuesday’s final 18 holes on the par-72 course which measures 6,158 yards, the Kansas Blue team holds a six-stroke lead over Big 12 foe Kansas State. The Jayhawks opened the tournament with a team-296 (+8) and improved by two strokes with a 294 in the afternoon for a 590 (+14) to lead the 11-team event. Kansas State shot the only other sub-300 round in the afternoon with a 296 and is at 596 (+20) entering the final day. The Kansas Crimson squad is in ninth place with a 635 (+59) after going 322 in the morning and 313 in the afternoon.
 
Sakdee, a sophomore, led the 60-golfer field after the morning round shooting a 2-under 72. She came back with a 73 in the afternoon. Kawinpakorn, a junior who carded a 74 (+2) in the morning, shot a 3-under 69 in her afternoon round, which tied for the low round of the day with Kansas State’s Chandler Gallagher who has a one-shot lead over Sakdee and Kawinpakorn. Gallagher is at 142 (-2) after her opening-round 73.
 
“I felt more confident going through the last 18 holes and I felt that I knew what to do better in the second round, so that helped out a lot,” Kawinpakorn said. “I think we just need to play our own game, focus, and play shot by shot, that’s all we can do. We can’t control them or their scores. We just need to play our own game and do whatever we can tomorrow and give it our best shot.”
 
For the Blue team, DiMarco sits tied for 10^th at 149 (+5) after shooting 73-76. Gonzales is tied for 23^rd at +11 (79-76—145) and Winyarat is tied for 46^th at +20 (81-83—164).
 
“I think we are in good shape,” KU head coach Erin O’Neil said. “We broke 300 both rounds, which I think we are always pleased with. Mook (Kawinpakorn) and Faii (Sakdee) played real solid for us. We had Kallie Gonzales, who is a freshman, finish strong and shot 76 in the afternoon. Gabby DiMarco played well. I think across the board it was a solid showing.”
 
Woods paced the Kansas Crimson team and is tied for fourth after shooting a 75-71—146 (+2). Woods’ 71 was her second-lowest career score as a Jayhawk. Thayer improved eight shots in her second round with a 74 and her 156 (+12) puts her tied for 26^th entering Tuesday. Levonowich is tied for 46^th after going 79-85—164 (+20), followed by Sexe who is tied for 57^th (87-83—170) and Humes is 60^th (86-88—174).
 
The Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational will conclude with 18 holes on Tuesday with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start.
 
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