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Women's Golf Rallies to Stay Alive at DII National Championship
Posted: May 12, 2022

Women's Golf Rallies to Stay Alive at DII National Championship

Results

Third Round Results

Gainesville, Ga. – Every shot matters.

That certainly was the case on Thursday, May 12 in the third round of the NCAA Division II Women's Golf National Championship which is being held at the Chattahoochee Golf Club in Gainesville, Georgia. Coming down the stretch, the University of Findlay found themselves in a battle for the eighth and final spot in the standings. In a field of 18 teams, the top eight after three rounds earn the right to continue the event, playing in a medal match play tournament over the final two days to decide the national champion. The Oilers put together a thrilling final stretch of holes to close the day with a 307 (+19) and end the stroke play portion of the championship with a 913 (+49).

Coming into the day in ninth in the standings, Findlay needed to make a push to extend their season. With about seven holes remaining, the Oilers found themselves in a tie for 12th in the standings and, as a team, were 14 over par on holes 10-12.

With their backs against the wall, and the Henderson State Reddies holding the eighth position and already in the clubhouse at 914 (+50), the Oilers needed to make a move, and fast.

Findlay then showed why they have been ranked as one of the top teams in the country all season. Prior to holes 13-18, Findlay had just four birdies as a team. Over the final six holes of play, the Oilers five players combined to shoot three-under, making seven birdies in that stretch, four of which came on the par-five 16th hole where senior Jill Schmitmeyer, sophomore Gabby Woods, freshman Mary Kelly Mulcahy, and freshman Erin Mulcahy all went under-par.

The Oilers had climbed into the eighth and final spot with just a few holes remaining and could not afford a mistake, holding just a single shot lead over Henderson State.

With a crowd starting to gather around the 18th green, Findlay's players began to finish their rounds. First in was Gabby Woods. She made par. Then Mary Kelly Mulcahy. Par. Then Erin Mulcahy. An up and down from off the green to save par. Jill Schmitmeyer was next. Par.

Still holding a single shot lead, it came down to senior Kristina Kniesly, who had just missed an eight foot birdie putt on the 17th hole.

The 18th hole at Chattahoochee is a par four, dog leg right with an uphill approach, and on Thursday, played as the fourth-most difficult hole, playing more than a half-a-stroke over par. There are trees down the right side and a single bunker on the left side of the fairway at the bend. Kniesly found that bunker.

Findlay's senior all-American was faced with an uphill shot, out of a bunker, from 123 yards and needing par to extend her career and extend the Oilers' season. Kniesly splashed her ball out of the sand and hit the middle tier of the multi-tiered 18th green, the same tier as Thursday's pin.

She then had a putt that measured just inside of 30 feet. Her first putt nearly dropped, leaving just a tap-in for par which sent Findlay's many fans into a frenzy and brought Kniesly to tears.

The Oilers were led on Thursday by their standout freshmen, Mary Kelly and Erin Mulcahy. The Lima, Ohio natives, playing in front of a large contingent of family and friends, showed some incredible resilience under pressure. Mary Kelly finished her day with a 74 (+2), her best round of the week thus far. Her sister Erin posted a 75 (+3) after shooting 74 in yesterday's round. The duo played their final five holes at three-under par to lead the Oilers to the finish line. Both players ended the event in a tie for 35th at 229 (+13).

Sophomore Gabby Woods and senior Kristina Kniesly each shot 79 (+7) on Thursday. Knisley was the teams' top finisher on the individual leaderboard, finishing in a tie for 14th at 223 (+7) while Woods was tied for 93rd at 243 (+27).

Senior Jill Schmitmeyer, who's score was not counted towards the team total, shot 80 (+8), but finished strong, going two-under in her final six holes. She ends the individual event in a tie for 59th at 233 (+17).

The Oilers will now move into the medal match play portion of the national championship, the third consecutive time that has been the case for Findlay. It is only the third time that the national championship has used the current format making the Oilers one of just three teams in the country (Dallas Baptist and Limestone) to have particiapted in medal match play in each of the three years it has been used. Findlay will be matched up against top-ranked Dallas Baptist University, the reigning national champion, in the first round of medal match play. A win would mean playing a second round on Friday where, another win means going head-to-head with another school for the Division II championship.

FROM THE COACH

"What these girls did the last hour and a half of play was simply amazing. They never gave up or gave in and they kept fighting shot-for-shot, even though they weren't having their best week. Now it's a new ballgame and we are excited to see what we can do in the next few days."

-Head Coach Dominic Guarnieri