Kim Goes Low, Blue Devils Move Up to Second at NCAAs

Saturday, May 22

Scottsdale, Ariz. (Raptor Course at Grayhawk Golf Club)

Duke University

NCAA Championship

Photo by: Tim Cowie

Kim Goes Low, Blue Devils Move Up to Second at NCAAs

5/22/2021 10:16:00 PM | Women's Golf

BROOKS INTERVIEW KIM INTERVIEW Photo Gallery

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – It was moving day on Saturday at the NCAA Championship for the Duke women's golf team as the Blue Devils carded a 7-under-par, 281, on their way to moving up to second through 36 holes at the 6,399-yard, par 72 Raptor Course at Grayhawk Golf Club.

Going out at 6:30 a.m., local time, Duke was hot early carding 12 birdies on the front nine, before rolling in eight on the back nine to finish with 20 birdies for the day. All five Duke golfers birdied the 500-yard, par-5 fourth hole on the front to get it started. The Blue Devils held the team lead early in the round, but Stanford would go on to shoot a team-best 10-under, 278, and holds a four-stroke lead over Duke.

After dealing with gusty winds most of Friday's first round, the Blue Devils had excellent scoring conditions for most of the round, before the wind started to pick up on the back nine.

Stanford holds the lead with a 7-under, 569, while Duke (573), Texas (577), Florida State (583), Wake Forest (585), Oklahoma State (586), Ole Miss (587) and LSU (588) are in the top eight.

"It was fun to see the birdies and eagles," said Duke head coach Dan Brooks. "We had some bigger numbers today too. The pins were tough in a few spots; less wind but they were tougher pins. It was another challenging day for a different reason, but I thought they played great. We have two more days. It would be nice to finish on top in the stroke play portion."

The 7-under, 281, for the Blue Devils on Saturday is tied for the second-lowest 18-hole ledger for Duke in NCAA Championship play on a par-72 course. The 36-hole total of 573 is tied for the lowest in Blue Devil history in NCAA action.

Leading the Blue Devils on Saturday in the second round was junior Gina Kim, who signed for a 5-under-par, 67, to match the lowest individual round of the tournament. It was also the fourth-lowest individual ledger in NCAA Championship play by a Blue Devil in 32 appearances.

"The putter got really hot for me today," said Kim. "A lot of my birdies came from mid-range putts, not really from my shots. I feel really confident going into the next few days and I am looking to what else I can do."

A product of Chapel Hill, N.C., Kim owns a 36-hole score of 141 and is tied for second, individually, along with Lauren Hartlage of Louisville. She will enter the third round five strokes behind leader Rachel Heck of Stanford.

Kim had her putter working early and often Saturday, as she drained four birdies over the first seven holes. She connected on a downhill 11-footer on No. 2, a two-foot birdie on No. 4 and then back-to-back 12-footer birdies on No. 6 and No. 7. After a bogey on No. 9, Kim regained her momentum as she hit her 54-degree wedge from 92 yards on No. 11 to six feet and sank the birdie. She then drained a downhill 11-footer for birdie on the 390-yard, par-4 12th. After nearly making a birdie on No. 13, she rolled in her seventh birdie of the day on No. 14 by sinking an 18-footer.

It marked the team-best fifth round in the 60s this season for Kim as she hit tied a season-best with 27 putts, while hitting 10 fairways and 14 greens.

As a team, Duke features three golfers in the top five individually as freshman Phoebe Brinker and senior Jaravee Boonchant are tied for fifth with a 1-under, 143.

Boonchant turned in her second straight round of even or under par with a 1-under, 71, as she connected on four birdies. She now owns 54 career rounds of even or under par to move into a tie for fifth on Duke's all-time charts with fellow Thai golfer Virada Nirapathpongporn.

After opening with a double-bogey on No. 1, Boonchant regrouped and struck fire, birding three out of her next five holes to move to 1-under. All three birdies were from under six feet on No. 2, No. 4 and No. 6. Boonchant went on to par nine straight holes, before suffering her only bogey of the day on No. 16. She closed with a birdie on the 495-yard, par-5 18th as she drained a 7-footer. Boonchant, who hails from Bangkok, Thailand, hit 13 greens, eight fairways and had 29 putts.

In her first NCAA appearance, Brinker continued her solid play with a 2-under, 70. After suffering a three-putt bogey on No. 1, she came back to knock in a close birdie on the par-5 fourth hole to get back to even. Brinker then hit her 4-iron from 220 yards to five feet, before calmly draining the putt to get to 2-under with an eagle on the par-5 seventh. It marked her third eagle of the season.

A native of Wilmington, Del., Brinker moved to 3-under with a 6-foot birdie on No. 11. After a stretch where she bogeyed three straight holes from 13-15, she regained formed and birdied both No. 16 and No. 17. She hit her drive onto the green on No. 17 and two-putted for birdie and then had a nice up-and-down par on No. 18 to close her day. She hit a team-best 15 greens, 10 fairways and rolled 33 putts.

Sophomore Erica Shepherd collected her second straight round of 73 and is tied for 22nd overall with a 2-over, 146. She totaled a team-best 14 pars on Saturday and owns 23 over the first two days. Shepherd, who is from Greenwood, Ind., parred the first two holes, before registering back-to-back birdies on No. 3 and No. 4. She netted a 12-footer on No. 3 and 6-foot birdie on No. 4 to get to 2-under.

After hitting her drive in the fairway bunker on No. 9, she suffered her only bogey of the day and then had a double-bogey on No. 10. Shepherd closed with eight pars to finish with the 73. She hit 10 fairways, 13 greens and had 31 putts.

Freshman Anne Chen closed the second round with a 5-over, 77. After parring the first two holes, Chen suffered a double-bogey on No. 3. She came back to birdie the par-5 fourth, but had a bogey on No. 6 to get back to 2-over-par. Chen, a native of Sugar Land, Texas, had her second birdie on No. 7 and made the turn at 1-over, 37. She struggled on the back nine finishing with a 4-over, 40. Chen hit eight fairways, 14 greens and had 34 putts.

Duke will return to action very early once again as the Blue Devils will tee off at 6:30 a.m., local time (9:30 a.m. ET) along with Stanford and Texas for the third round.

The top 15 teams following 54 holes will advance to the final round of stroke play on Monday, May 24 and then the top eight teams will move on to match play on Tuesday, May 25.

The Golf Channel will feature extensive coverage of the NCAA Championship beginning Monday, May 24 with 5-9 p.m. (ET) action. On Tuesday for match play, the coverage will be from 12-2:30 p.m., and 5-9 p.m. Wednesday's championship will be aired from 5-9 p.m.

#GoDuke

Duke Results
T19 T5 Phoebe Brinker Duke 73 70       143 -1
T38 T2 Gina Kim Duke 74 67       141 -3
T5 T5 Jaravee Boonchant Duke 72 71       143 -1
T19 T22 Erica Shepherd Duke 73 73       146 +2
T74 T91 Anne Chen Duke 76 77       153 +9

1 2 Team Scores
3 1 Stanford 291 278       569 -7
T4 2 Duke 292 281       573 -3
1 3 Texas 289 288       577 +1
11 4 Florida State 298 285       583 +7
T4 5 Wake Forest 292 293       585 +9
10 6 Oklahoma State 297 289       586 +10
T8 7 Ole Miss 296 291       587 +11
T8 8 LSU 296 292       588 +12
2 T9 Oregon 290 300       590 +14
T4 T9 Arizona 292 298       590 +14
13 11 Arizona State 300 291       591 +15
14 T12 Michigan State 301 294       595 +19
T15 T12 UCLA 302 293       595 +19
17 T14 Michigan 304 296       600 +24
24 T14 South Carolina, U of 312 288       600 +24
T22 16 Baylor 308 293       601 +25
T4 T17 Kent State 292 310       602 +26
T20 T17 Georgia, U. of 307 295       602 +26
19 19 Maryland 306 297       603 +27
18 20 Auburn 305 299       604 +28
T15 T21 Virginia Tech 302 304       606 +30
12 T21 Kentucky 299 307       606 +30
T20 23 Southern California 307 300       607 +31
T22 24 Alabama 308 310       618 +42

Start Finish Player Team Scores
1 1 Rachel Heck Stanford 69 67       136 -8
T38 T2 Gina Kim Duke 74 67       141 -3
T19 T2 Lauren Hartlage * Louisville 73 68       141 -3
T5 4 Emma Spitz UCLA 72 70       142 -2
T19 T5 Phoebe Brinker Duke 73 70       143 -1
T5 T5 Jaravee Boonchant Duke 72 71       143 -1
T38 T5 Lianna Bailey Oklahoma State 74 69       143 -1
T19 T5 Sophie Guo Texas 73 70       143 -1
T3 T5 Briana Chacon Oregon 71 72       143 -1
T19 T5 Ya Chun Chang Arizona 73 70       143 -1
T19 T11 Julia Johnson Ole Miss 73 71       144 E
T19 T11 Carla Tejedo Mulet LSU 73 71       144 E
T52 T11 Celina Sattelkau * Vanderbilt 75 69       144 E
T19 T11 Beatrice Wallin Florida State 73 71       144 E
T38 T11 Sara Kouskova Texas 74 70       144 E
2 T11 Kaitlyn Papp Texas 70 74       144 E
T5 T11 Valery Plata Michigan State 72 72       144 E
T5 T18 Sadie Englemann Stanford 72 73       145 +1
T5 T18 Paula Kirner South Carolina, U of 72 73       145 +1
T52 T18 Alice Hodge Florida State 75 70       145 +1
T3 T18 Elodie Chapelet Baylor 71 74       145 +1
T87 T22 Angelina Ye Stanford 77 69       146 +2
T52 T22 Aline Krauter Stanford 75 71       146 +2
T38 T22 Emilia Migliaccio Wake Forest 74 72       146 +2
T52 T22 Brooke Seay Stanford 75 71       146 +2
T19 T22 Erica Shepherd Duke 73 73       146 +2
T19 T22 Andrea Lignell Ole Miss 73 73       146 +2
T52 T22 Charlotte Heath Florida State 75 71       146 +2
T19 T22 Olivia Mehaffey Arizona State 73 73       146 +2
T5 T22 Agathe Laisne Texas 72 74       146 +2
T5 T22 Beth Lillie * Virginia 72 74       146 +2
T38 T22 Annabel Wilson UCLA 74 72       146 +2
T52 T22 Hailey Borja Michigan 75 71       146 +2
T19 T34 Mimi Rhodes Wake Forest 73 74       147 +3
T5 T34 Siyun Liu Wake Forest 72 75       147 +3
T87 T34 Karen Fredgaard * Houston 77 70       147 +3
T96 T34 Maja Stark Oklahoma State 78 69       147 +3
T52 T34 Linn Grant Arizona State 75 72       147 +3
T38 T34 Emily Mahar Virginia Tech 74 73       147 +3
T87 T40 Latanna Stone LSU 77 71       148 +4
T19 T40 Rachel Kuehn Wake Forest 73 75       148 +4
T52 T40 Kennedy Swann Ole Miss 75 73       148 +4
T87 T40 Kajsa Arwefjall * San Jose State 77 71       148 +4
T52 T40 Amelia Williamson Florida State 75 73       148 +4
T74 T40 Ashley Menne Arizona State 76 72       148 +4
T52 T40 Jenny Bae Georgia, U. of 75 73       148 +4
T87 T40 Ching-Tzu Chen Oregon 77 71       148 +4
T52 T40 Chloe Salort Kent State 75 73       148 +4
T52 T40 Elena Hualde Auburn 75 73       148 +4
T38 T40 Megan Schofill Auburn 74 74       148 +4
T74 T40 Anna Zanusso * Denver 76 72       148 +4
T5 T40 Laney Frye Kentucky 72 76       148 +4
T52 T53 Chiara Tamburlini Ole Miss 75 74       149 +5
T74 T53 Ana Pelaez South Carolina, U of 76 73       149 +5
T74 T53 Rina Tatematsu Oklahoma State 76 73       149 +5
T87 T53 Brianna Navarrosa Southern California 77 72       149 +5
T19 T53 Candice Mahe Georgia, U. of 73 76       149 +5
T19 T53 Xiaolin Tian Maryland 73 76       149 +5
T38 T53 YuSang Hou Arizona 74 75       149 +5
T19 T53 Therese Warner Arizona 73 76       149 +5
T74 T61 Kendall Griffin LSU 76 74       150 +6
T38 T61 Ingrid Lindblad LSU 74 76       150 +6
T114 T61 Britta Snyder Baylor 80 70       150 +6
T74 T61 Amanda Linner Arizona State 76 74       150 +6
T5 T61 Maddison Hinson-Tolchard Oklahoma State 72 78       150 +6
T52 T61 Alyaa Abdulghany Southern California 75 75       150 +6
T114 T61 Maria Vittoria Corbi Maryland 80 70       150 +6
T5 T61 Emily Price Kent State 72 78       150 +6
T5 T61 Hsin-Yu Lu Oregon 72 78       150 +6
T52 T61 Christin Eisenbeiss * North Florida 75 75       150 +6
T96 T61 Ashley Kim Michigan 78 72       150 +6
T74 T61 Yurika Tanida Michigan State 76 74       150 +6
T52 T61 Haylin Harris Michigan State 75 75       150 +6
T105 T74 Lauren Walsh Wake Forest 79 72       151 +7
T19 T74 Alden Wallace LSU 73 78       151 +7
T105 T74 Virunpat Olankitkunchai Maryland 79 72       151 +7
T52 T74 Brigitte Thibault * Fresno State 75 76       151 +7
T38 T74 Vivian Hou Arizona 74 77       151 +7
T38 T74 Marissa Wenzler Kentucky 74 77       151 +7
T74 T74 Emilie Overas Alabama 76 75       151 +7
T120 T81 Pauline Roussin-Bouchard South Carolina, U of 81 71       152 +8
T19 T81 Hanna Alberto * Sam Houston 73 79       152 +8
T105 T81 Gurleen Kaur Baylor 79 73       152 +8
T87 T81 Mychael O'Berry Auburn 77 75       152 +8
T19 T81 Kory Nielsen Kent State 73 79       152 +8
T38 T81 Keera Foocharoen Virginia Tech 74 78       152 +8
T52 T81 Louise Yu * Vanderbilt 75 77       152 +8
T52 T81 Ashley Lau Michigan 75 77       152 +8
T38 T81 Maria Villanueva Kentucky 74 78       152 +8
T52 T81 Kenzie Wright Alabama 75 77       152 +8
T74 T91 Anne Chen Duke 76 77       153 +9
T105 T91 Taylor Roberts Florida State 79 74       153 +9
T96 T91 Amelia Garvey Southern California 78 75       153 +9
T38 T91 Sofie Kibsgaard Nielsen Oregon 74 79       153 +9
T5 T91 Caley McGinty Kent State 72 81       153 +9
T126 T96 Mathilde Claisse South Carolina, U of 83 71       154 +10
T120 T96 Isabella Holpfer Georgia, U. of 81 73       154 +10
T52 T96 Isabella Fierro Oklahoma State 75 79       154 +10
T96 T96 Rosie Belsham Baylor 78 76       154 +10
T52 T96 Becca DiNunzio Virginia Tech 75 79       154 +10
T19 T96 Tze-Han Lin Oregon 73 81       154 +10
T74 T96 Mikayla Bardwell * Tennessee 76 78       154 +10
T96 T96 Mikaela Schulz Michigan 78 76       154 +10
T105 T96 Benedetta Moresco Alabama 79 75       154 +10
T128 T105 Nataliya Guseva * Miami 84 71       155 +11
T124 T105 Jo Hua Hung Georgia, U. of 82 73       155 +11
T96 T105 Caterina Don Georgia, U. of 78 77       155 +11
T114 T105 Ashleigh Park Texas 80 75       155 +11
T105 T105 Jessica Spicer Virginia Tech 79 76       155 +11
T74 T105 Patricie Mackova Maryland 76 79       155 +11
T114 T111 Hannah Karg Baylor 80 76       156 +12
T120 T111 Alessandra Fanali Arizona State 81 75       156 +12
T87 T111 Malia Nam Southern California 77 79       156 +12
T74 T111 Valentina Albertazzi Kent State 76 80       156 +12
T105 T111 Kaleigh Telfer Auburn 79 77       156 +12
T114 T116 Anna Foster Auburn 80 77       157 +13
T105 T116 Yuki Yoshihara UCLA 79 78       157 +13
T74 T116 Monet Chun Michigan 76 81       157 +13
T5 T116 Gile Bite Starkute Arizona 72 85       157 +13
T120 T120 Alyssa Montgomery Virginia Tech 81 77       158 +14
T124 T120 Jensen Castle Kentucky 82 76       158 +14
T105 T120 Rikke Svejgaard Kentucky 79 79       158 +14
T87 T120 Simar Singh UCLA 77 81       158 +14
T96 T124 Laura Van Respaille Maryland 78 82       160 +16
T96 T124 Paz Marfa Michigan State 78 82       160 +16
T126 126 Allisen Corpuz Southern California 83 78       161 +17
T114 127 Polly Mack Alabama 80 83       163 +19
T96 128 Caroline Curtis Alabama 78 87       165 +21
132 - Emilie Paltrinieri UCLA D 73       -     -
131 Pimnipa Panthong South Carolina, U of 90       90 +18
130 Smilla Sonderby Ole Miss 74       74 +2
129 Valentina Rossi Michigan State 73       73 +1