T-Bird (W-Golf) Earns 2nd Victory, Heard Goes Back-to-Back
NMJC women's golf won their second tournament of the season Tuesday, Feb. 25 at the Thunderbird Invitational in Hobbs, NM. Olivia Heard won the tournament for the second consecutive year after firing a final-round 70 to shoot 6-over par for the tournament.
The Thunderbirds shot 326-296 to finish 46-over for the tournament, besting Western Texas by 95 strokes. The 8-over 296 by NMJC was the low round of the championship.
Sophomore Olivia Heard opened with an 8-over 80 at the Rockwind Community Links course. Heard posted a stellar 2-under 70 in Round 2 which tied her career-low round from the same event last year. The Kent, England native recorded six birdies and four bogeys in her final round. Heard (+6) finished the tournament with a two-stroke win over Garden City CC's Summer Griffiths. The win is the fourth top-10 finish of the season for Heard.
Hinano Kishida shot 78-75 in 36 holes to finish in solo third place. Kishida posted 9-over and has now recorded four top-10 finishes this season.
Sophomore Wawa Booncharn had a tough opening round on Monday. The sophomore shot 83, but the bright spot for her was a closing eagle on hole 18. Booncharn found her consistency in the second round shooting a 2-over 74 that featured one birdie and three bogeys. The Bangkok, Thailand native placed fourth and has finished in the top-10 in 6-of-7 tournaments this year.
Monday was not Nanami Hayakawa's day as she shot 85 which was her highest round of the season. The Okaya, Japan native bounced back with a 5-over 77 on the final day to finish T-9 at 18-over. Hayakawa has placed in the top-10 in 6-of-7 tournaments this year.
Giuliana Frutos was identical to Hayakawa on Monday and Tuesday. Frutos stumbled in Round 1 with an 85 and rallied in the second round to shoot 77. The T-9 finish was the fourth top-10 placement for the Paraguayan.
The top individual this week was freshman Stefany Crozier who opened with a 77 and closed with a 9-over 81 to shoot 14-over. The fifth-place finish is a career-best for the Portsmouth, England native.
Kyleigh McGowen shot 83-81 to shoot 20-over this week and finish in 11th place. Jordyn Cruz was one spot behind in 12th place shooting 85-80 to finish at 21-over. Ashleigh Johnson shot 84-87 in 36 holes to place 14th at 27-over.
Freshman Zoe Munoz shot a career-low 87 in Round 1 and a 94 in Round 2 to finish T-15 at 37-over. Kiyonna Matthews shot back-to-back 91's to post 38-over in 17th place.
The win is Coach Ferguson's fifth victory of her career and is a school record for most wins by an NMJC women's golf head coach.
The Thunderbirds next tournament will be a single day match with UTPB at Odessa Country Club in Odessa, Texas Thursday, March 6.
