Then-freshman golfer Jessica Porvasnik reads the green at the Lady Buckeye Invitational April 19 in Columbus.
Credit: Courtesy of OSU Athletics
Ohio State golfer Jessica Porvasnik, who finished her freshman season as an honorable mention All-American in 2014, finished with a nine-over par 79 in the first round of the U.S. Women’s Open Thursday.
Porvasnik sat in a tie for 70th when she headed for the club house. She shot a four-over par 39 on the front at Pinehurst No. 2 in Pinehurst, N.C. – the same course the men played their U.S. Open last weekend. She finished with a 40 on the back nine to complete the round.
Her day included consecutive birdies on the ninth and 10th holes, seven pars, seven bogeys and two double bogeys.
The Hinckley, Ohio, native qualified for the open after shooting consecutive rounds of 73 at a qualification tournament at the Butler Country Club in Butler, Pa., May 12.
She placed first at the Big Ten Championship and the Westbrook Spring Invitational for the Buckeyes this season. Porvasnik also came in the top five four times and the top 10 at the Mary Fossum Invitational and the Web.com Intercollegiate.
She is at least the third Buckeye to take part in the U.S. Women’s Open. Her coach at OSU, Therese Hession, played in the event seven times,and former OSU golfer Meg Mallon won the tournament in both 1991 and 2004.
Porvasnik is one of 25 amateurs playing the field of 156 total golfers at the championship. She ranked 10th among amateurs after her performance Thursday. Porvasnik played her opening round with professionals Erica Popson of the U.S. and Wei-Ling Hsu from Chinese Tapei. The trio is scheduled to tee off their second round at 12:41 p.m. Friday.
