The Ohio State women’s golf team didn’t finish as well as it was hoping to in this year’s Lady Buckeye Invitational.
The near-40 mph gusts of wind didn’t help it in the weekend tournament, but it might have been a blessing in disguise as the Buckeyes head to Chicago next week for the Big Ten Tournament.
“We haven’t won a tournament yet this year. I was hoping to get this one under our belts,” coach Therese Hession said. “The wind is good to practice in because we’re going to be right off Lake Michigan next week.”
The wind couldn’t stop Michigan State’s Caroline Powers, who shot a 226 in the three-round tournament. Powers had the best individual performance of the weekend and also led her teammates to a first-place finish in the event, with a total score of 918 — 17 strokes better than Kent State, which came in second with a final score of 935.
Wisconsin’s Lindsay Danielson had the second-best individual performance, leading her team to a third-place finish in the tournament with a score of 939.
OSU finished fourth with a final score of 941.
Rachel Rohanna and Vicky Villanueva led the Buckeyes, both scoring 235 for the weekend, tying for 13th overall in the individual scores.
Susana Benavides, who shot a 238 over the weekend, said she had never played in such severe conditions.
“It was probably the hardest round I’ve ever played,” Benavides said. “You can’t really focus on what you want; you just have to play for the wind. Try to make pars and be happy with it.”
In Hong Lim agreed.
“It was real interesting to see all my balls going thirty yards left and right, but everyone was in the same situation,” said Lim, the team’s lone senior, who was playing in her final home tournament.
Lim scored 245 for the weekend, a score she wasn’t satisfied with. But she’ll have a chance to finish her Big Ten career strong in next week’s tournament.
“I think next week’s going to be windy again, so it was a good preview for us,” she said. “I was hoping to do a lot better than what I did. But oh well, next week.”
Regardless of the conditions next weekend, Hession says starting strong is what the team needs to do for a chance to finish atop the leader board.
“We just have to get out there and try to really get off to a really good start because that’s one thing we haven’t done so well,” she said. “I think that first day will be critical.”
One thing Hession doesn’t need to worry about is her team’s confidence.
“I would expect us all to give all of our effort to next weekend,” Rohanna said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we go out there and win by 10 shots.”
Benavides was equally clear about her confidence in her team.
“A win, that’s for sure,” she said. “No doubt about that.”
