Smolen Shows Well for Women’s Golf at Lady Moc Classic

Gusting winds took the sails out of Lynn University’s women’s golf team’s attempts at a second consecutive tournament victory as the squad tied for third out of 17 teams at the Lady Moc Golf Classic.  Samantha Smolen picked up a top-10 finish while Jessica Bradley saw her string of consecutive tournaments in the top-10 end at 18 on the Grasslands Golf and Country Club course.

Smolen finished the 54-hole tournament tied for seventh individually after posting scores of 74-77-76 for a 227 total.  She was only six shots back of winner Elsa Westin of Northwood (Fla.).  Smolen led the field in par 4 scoring (+4), was among the leaders in par 5 scoring (-1) and racked up the second-most birdies, with 10.

Jenny Ayala tied Smolen for the lowest round of the day with the Blue & White, carding a 76 for a two-day total of 231.  She tied for 13th and missed a top-10 finish by two shots.

Despite shooting two-under par on par 3 holes and one-under on par 5s, Bradley finished outside the top-10 (T-19th) for the first time since May 18, 2013 at the NCAA Division II National Championship.  This is the first time since February 3, 2013 at the Kiawah Island Intercollegiate she finished lower than 10th in a regular season event and since Kiawah Island, Bradley has logged 24 top-10 finishes in 25 tournaments, including five victories.  Only Nova Southeastern’s Sandra Changkija recorded a long streak, by placing in the top-10 in 20 consecutive tournaments.

The torrid conditions played a part in the high scores all afternoon as over 63 percent of the 98 golfers participating shot 80 or worse.  Louise Manalo and Samantha Barber concluded play with rounds of 84 and 86, respectively.

Lynn was still able to collect its fifth top-three finish of the season by shooting 315 as a team for the day and 925 overall.  Rollins took first with a 905, followed by Northwood (923) and Seminole State (925).  Nova Southeastern (926) gave the Sunshine State Conference three in the top-five after surpassing West Florida for fifth place.