Senior Jessica Haraden fired a career-best 71 to finish with a career-best three-round total of 220 to highlight the Nebraska women's golf team's final round at the Golfweek Conference Challenge in Wolcott, Colo., on Wednesday.
As a team, Nebraska notched a top-10 finish in a strong 18-team field that featured schools from 18 different conferences across the country. Senior Kate Smith led the Husker lineup with an even-par 72 in the final round to close the tournament in a tie with Haraden in 29th at 220. Haraden was playing as an individual outside the Husker lineup throughout the tournament, and her scores (75-74-71) did not count toward Nebraska's three-round team total 891 (285-305-301). NU finished 10th.
Husker Megan Whittaker joined Haraden in a record-setting tournament for herself. A sophomore from Elkhorn, Neb., Whittaker closed with a career-best 54-hole total of 221 (72-74-75) to finish 33rd individually. Her total on the par-72, 6,261-yard layout of the Fazio Course at the Red Sky Golf Club in Wolcott surpassed her previous career best (225), which came at Nebraska's season-opening Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational in Albuquerque (Sept. 9-10). Her 72 in the opening round was also a career best.
Fifth-year senior Haley Thiele (Wahoo, Neb.) produced Nebraska's No. 3 score on the day with a 76 (+4) in the final round to finish at 240 (91st). Junior Noor Ahmed completed NU's team score Wednesday with a final-round 78 to finish at 231 (T71st). Leah Herzog, who opened the tournament with a Nebraska true freshman-record 66 (-6) on Monday, settled for an 84 Wednesday. She was Nebraska's No. 4 individual finisher in the tournament with a 227 to tie for 57th.
Ole Miss rolled to the team title with an 849 over three rounds, while Pepperdine took second at 857. UCLA finished third at 859, while matching the Waves for the tournament's best team round with a 279 Wednesday. Denver finished fourth (860), while San Diego State and TCU tied for fifth (870).
Denver's Anna Zanusso took medalist honors with a 54-hole score of 205 (-11) that included a four-under 68 in the final round. Pepperdine's Alexa Melton finished two strokes back at 207 (-9), while UCLA's Emma Spitz finished third at 208 (-8).
Nebraska returns to action in two weeks at the Edean Ihlanfeldt Invitational in Sammamish, Wash., Oct. 8-9.
Golfweek Conference Challenge
Red Sky Golf Club (Wolcott, Colo.)
Fazio Course (Par 72, 6,261 Yards)
Sept. 25-27, 2019
Final Team Standings
1. Ole Miss - 281-280-288-849 (-15)
2. Pepperdine - 281-297-279-857 (-7)
3. UCLA - 295-285-279-859 (-5)
4. Denver - 283-290-287-860 (-4)
T5. San Diego State - 291-286-293-870 (+6)
T5. TCU - 292-296-282-870 (+6)
7. Kennesaw State - 289-292-291-872 (+8)
8. Sacramento State - 291-294-291-876 (+12)
9. NC State - 297-295-293-885 (+21)
10. Nebraska - 285-305-301-891 (+27)
11. Campbell - 293-309-291-893 (+29)
12. South Alabama - 303-298-296-897 (+33)
13. SMU - 299-302-301-902 (+38)
14. Delaware - 301-295-307-903 (+39)
15. Central Arkansas - 311-302-293-906 (+42)
16. Xavier - 307-306-301-914 (+50)
17. East Tennessee State - 312-312-301-925 (+61)
18. UC Riverside - 310-329-294-933 (+69)
Final Individual Results
1. Anna Zanusso, Denver - 68-69-68-205 (-11)
2. Alex Melton, Pepperdine - 68-71-68-207 (-9)
3. Emma Spitz, UCLA - 73-67-68-208 (-8)
T4. Sabrina Iqbal, TCU - 70-70-69 (-7)
T4. Sara Kjellker, San Diego State - 71-68-70-209 (-7)
T4. Siti Shaari, South Alabama - 72-66-71-209 (-7)
7. Andrea Lignell, Ole Miss - 69-67-74-210 (-6)
T8. Momoka Kobori, Pepperdine - 67-75-69-211 (-5)
T8. Pi-Lillebi Hermansson, Ole Miss - 70-68-73-211 (-5)
T8. Meva Schmit, Kennesaw State - 69-69-73-211 (-5)
Nebraska Golfers
T29. Kate Smith - 70-78-72-220 (+4)
*T29. Jessica Haraden - 75-74-71-220 (+4)
33. Megan Whittaker - 72-74-75-221 (+5)
T57. Leah Herzog - 66-77-84-227 (+11)
T71. Noor Ahmed - 77-76-78-231 (+15)
91. Haley Thiele - 84-80-76-240 (+24)
*competed as an individual outside Nebraska's lineup
