Fonseca Diaz, Chou lead Jayhawks after day one in Mexico

PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico– The Kansas women’s golf team finished the first round of the Hawkeye-El Tigre Invitational standing alone in fifth place Sunday.
 
Only three strokes separate the four top performers for the Jayhawks Sunday.
 
Leading the way for Kansas is sophomore Ariadna Fonseca Diaz and freshman Yi-Tsen Chou, both tied for 11^th place. Both Fonseca Diaz and Chou shot two-over 74s. Chou leads the Jayhawks with four birdies.
 
“Both Ari and Yi-Tsen had solid rounds today, but gave a few shots away putting,” head coach Erin O’Neil said.
 
Fonseca Diaz and Chou are a stroke behind seven golfers who are tied for fourth place, after they shot one-over 73s.
 
Two strokes behind Fonseca Diaz and Chou is sophomore Victoria Chandra, who shot a 76 and is in a tie for 28^th place.
 
A stroke behind Chandra is sophomore Chomchana Phuchanbanchob, who followed a first-nine hole five-over, with a one-over on the second nine, to end day one in 36^th place.
 
Junior Pitsinee Winyarat had a costly triple and double bogey on the eighth and 17^th hole respectively, which put her in a hole that she struggled to get out of, finishing the day 10-over in 62^nd place.
 
KU’s lone individual competitor, freshman Xinyun Yu also struggled, carding a 13-over 85, which landed her in a tie for 73^rd place.
 
As a team, the Jayhawks fired a 301(+13). Only six strokes separates fifth place Kansas from first place Washington (+7).
 
“We saw good things out of everyone,” O’Neil said. “The goal for tomorrow is to stay patient and committed to each shot.”
 
The other teams in the top-five include UTSA (+9), Ole Miss (+10) and Wisconsin (+11).
 
The Hawkeye-El Tigre Invitational continues with the second round on Monday April 3, beginning with a 2 p.m. (CT) shotgun start.
 
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