In the team’s season-opening tournament, the WSU women’s golf team headed to Albuquerque, New Mexico for the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational and placed 14 out of 16 teams.

After the first day of the tournament, the Cougs sat in 15th place on the leaderboard after round one. WSU placed 27 strokes behind the tournament winner Oklahoma State University. WSU shot 10 birdies in the first round.

“I was really impressed with the play of the entire team this week,” Head Coach Kelli Kamimura said after the tournament. “They’ve been working hard, and to have players come out and utilize their skills was great to see.”

Individually, WSU saw similar results on the scoreboard in round one. Sophomore Madison Odiorne tied for 33rd place at 2-under par (70). Odiorne birdied on four holes in the round.

Senior Bree Wanderscheid sat in 57th place with a first round score of 74 (+2). Senior Alivia Brown followed with a score of plus-six (78), good enough for 64th place.

Senior Cherokee Kim and freshman Emily Bridenne shot scores of plus-11 and plus-31 respectively. Kim sat in 82nd place after the first 18 holes and Bridenne’s score put her in 91st.

Round two, which was pushed back a day due to inclement weather, began on the second day in addition to the third and final round. During the final day, the Cougs shot 26-over par to move up one spot to 14th place with a tournament score of 890.

Odiorne improved her first round standing from 33rd place to 30th place on day two. The sophomore carded five birdies in the third round shot two-over for the tournament. Wanderscheid tied for 37th place at three-over (219).

Brown and Kim also improved their scores from the first round. Brown tied for 55th place (223) and Kim took 78th place at 14-over (230). Bridenne dropped one spot on the leaderboard from round one to finish the tournament in 93rd place.

“The team continues to show a lot of growth and I am excited for the season ahead,” Kamimura said.

The Cougars will return home to Pullman for the Cougar Cup on Sept. 19 – 20. The tournament will take place at Palouse Ridge Golf Course.