IU women's golf team sets school record with 3-round total of 860

All season long, the IU women’s golf team has tried to put a tournament together where everyone fires on all cylinders at the same time.

This week in Las Vegas, they managed to do that for one of their three rounds.

The Hoosiers used a school-record, 11-under 277 third-round total to slide up the leaderboard and finish in 10th place on Wednesday in the Las Vegas Collegiate Showdown at the Boulder Creek Golf Club. The three-round total of 860 also betters the school record by four shots.   

“We talked about having positive momentum, and they did that today,” said IU coach Clint Wallman.

Junior Kellye Belcher led the team from the start, notching a total of 14 birdies over three rounds, something she said helped her a lot through the tournament.

“It gave me confidence in my swing, which I’ve struggled with a little,” she said.
Belcher continued to play well throughout the tournament and finished with a 3-under final round for a 6-under 210 total score, good for ninth place overall.

Wallman said he thought Belcher played very well.

“She has been on the verge this whole semester of having a breakthrough tournament,” Wallman said. “She really showed she can compete on an elite level.”

Fellow junior Anita Gahir struggled early but rebounded with five birdies in the last round. She never shot above par and finished 5-under. Gahir said she remained focused through her early problems.

“I was pretty upset with myself, but I came back and hit the ball really well and built confidence on each shot,” she said.

Gahir shot the best final-round score (5-under par) for the Hoosiers and finished in a tie for 22nd. Following Gahir, junior Laura Nochta finished in 29th place, with senior Amber Lindgren rounding out the team score with her 7-over 223 effort to finish 63rd overall.

Sophomore Cecilia Orevik competed for the team as well and finished 68th with an 8-over 224.

The Hoosiers have a long break coming up, which allows them to rest from their fall season. They resume action Feb. 1 in a dual match against Wisconsin in Phoenix.

After what Wallman called a successful fall season, he feels the team is set up to have a great spring.

“We had a solid Lady Northern and a good Vegas tournament,” Wallman said. “I think this gives us good positive energy.”