Women's Golf Takes 2nd at Yale Tournament

The Harvard women’s golf team made a strong showing this past weekend at the Yale Fall Women’s Intercollegiate, overcoming a famously punishing course with two top-10 finishes but ultimately taking home second place.

The Crimson shot a combined 627 in two rounds, 314 on Saturday and 313 yesterday, closing out the tournament with eight shots more than first-place Yale and one shot less than third-place Rollins College.

Coach Kevin Rhoads chalked Yale’s success up to home-field advantage under particularly difficult conditions.

Wind complicated the course’s already tricky greens and narrow fairways.

Challenging pin positions compounded the difficulties created by Yale’s undulating greens.

Rhoads noted the challenges, calling this course his favorite, and said that “getting the approach shot close and managing a low putting total” was the name of the game.

Harvard’s two most notable individual performances came from sophomore Sarah Harvey, whose 153 (77-78) tied her for third, and senior Jessica Hazlett, who earned a tie for eighth with her score of 156 (79-77).

Sophomore Claire Sheldon tied for 14th, shooting a 159 (78-81). Her 21 pars were the second most of anyone in the field.

Freshman Mia Kabasakalis tied for 25th with a 162 (80-82), and junior Ali Bode recorded a 165 (86-79), putting her in a tie for 37th.

While the squad was “generally pleased” with its performance, it is “difficult to adjust to seeing scores higher than they are used to,” Rhoads said.

In this tournament, the average score was 83.30 over the two days, with only one even round.

“Everything just compounds and compounds,” Rhoads said, adding, “Given all this, we did quite a good job.”

According to Rhoads, pin position on the Yale course was especially troublesome.

Standout holes included the ninth, a unique par-3 with a very long irregular 63-yard green and an uphill par-4 10th with a sloped green.

Memorable moments yesterday included a nearly impossible up-and-down by Harvey on the make-or-break par-3 15th coming off a birdie on the 14th that “held together what turned out to be a very good round today,” Rhoads said.

“This course beats everyone up a little bit, and you find where you’re strong and where you’re weak and learn from the weak to get better,” Rhoads said, already thinking ahead to next week’s ECAC Championships, which were cancelled last year due to rainy conditions.

“Every tournament we’re in, we definitely have a chance to win,” Rhoads said.

Given the team’s top-three finish in three straight tournaments, it may take another washout to stop the Crimson next week.