SEASIDE, Calif. — Senior Ashleigh Park surged into the individual lead on day one of the Molly Collegiate Invitational on Monday, with the Oregon women’s golf team sitting in third place through 36 holes at Bayonet Golf Course.
The Ducks opened the 36-hole day with an 8-under 280 in round one and improved on that mark with a 9-under 279 in round two. Oregon (-17) is just three strokes back of San Jose State (-20) for the lead entering Tuesday’s final round, and two strokes behind California (-19) for second.
Park was nearly flawless throughout both rounds, making 10 total birdies and just one birdie to close with a 4-under 68 in round one and a 5-under 67 in round two. Park will enter Tuesday with a two-stroke lead on the field, seeking her first career win.
How it Happened: After opening her day with a birdie, Park carded a bogey on hole No. 3. That was the first and only blemish for the 2023 first-team all-Pac-12 selection, who made nine birdies and 24 pars over her final 33 holes.
Park was in third after finishing the first round with a 4-under 68, and she overtook the field in the second round with a 5-under 67 that tied for the best individual round of the day. Park was one of just two players to shoot in the 60s in both rounds on Monday.
Minori Nagano is tied for fifth through 36 holes at 5-under par, using an incredible finish to close round one with a 2-under 70 before carding a 3-under 69 in round two. Nagano was 3 over through 15 holes in round one, but caught fire with a birdie and back-to-back eagles to make up five strokes in just three holes. The senior made six birdies and just three bogeys in round two.
Freshman Kiara Romero carded a pair of 1-under 71s to sit in a tie for 17th overall, and fifth-year senior Briana Chacon is tied for 21st at 1-under par after a 1-under 71 and an even-par 72.
Graduate student Ching-Tzu Chen also shined while competing as an individual, sitting in a tie with Nagano for fifth overall on the strength of a 4-under 68 in the second round. Chen drained a team-high seven birdies in round two, including four on the front nine.
Team Leaderboard:
1. San Jose State – 280-276 – 556 (-20)
2. California – 271-286 -557 (-19)
3. Oregon -280-279 – 559 (-17)
4. Maryland – 285-283 – 568 (-8)
5. Oregon State – 281-289 – 570 (-6)
6. Kansas – 288-288 – 576 (E)
7. Georgia Southern – 298-287 – 585 (+9)
8. Washington State – 294-296 – 590 (+14)
9. Rutgers – 297-297 – 594 (+18)
10. Delaware – 310-300 – 610 (+34)
11. UC Irvine – 318-309 – 627 (+51)
Ducks on the Leaderboard:
1. Ashleigh Park – 68-67 – 138 (-9)
T5. Minori Nagano – 70-69 – 139 (-5)
T5. Ching-Tzu Chen* – 71-68 – 139 (-5)
T17. Kiara Romero – 71-71 – 142 (-2)
T21. Briana Chacon – 71-72 – 143 (-1)
38. Anika Varma – 75-73 – 148 (+4)
Notable: Oregon was the best team in the field on par-3 holes, shooting 3-under par … Nagano tied for second in the field at 6-under par on par-5 holes … Nagano was one of two players with multiple eagles on Monday.
Up Next: Round three of the Molly Collegiate Invitational will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a shotgun start on Tuesday.
