LAS CRUCES, N.M. — Saylar May shot a 2-above-par 74 to lead Southern Utah women's golf in the opening round of the Golf Iconic Classic on Monday, Oct. 12. The Thunderbirds posted a team score of 313 (+25), placing 19th in the 19-team field at New Mexico State University Golf Course.
May Within Reach of Top 10
May finished the day tied for 35th, but a tightly packed individual leaderboard leaves the freshman just three strokes outside the top 10. Eleven players share 10th place at 71, while another nine are tied for 21st at even-par 72.
The opening round adds another chapter to May's first fall with the Thunderbirds. She won medalist honors at September's Wolverine Invitational, finishing at 208 (-8) with rounds of 68, 68 and 72 to claim the title by three strokes.
The Thunderbirds
Rosalie Langlois supplied Southern Utah's second-lowest score with a 78 (+6), putting her in a tie for 76th. Ellie Schoeffler followed with an 80 (+8) and is tied for 93rd, while Jaden Johnson's 81 (+9) placed her 99th and completed SUU's four counting scores.
Siriporn (Orchid) Luangnam rounded out the lineup with an 82 (+10), tying for 100th.
Southern Utah sits two strokes behind UT Arlington and eight behind the teams tied for 16th. The opening round was played on a par-72 layout measuring 6,420 yards.
A Blueprint for Moving Up
The Thunderbirds have already shown this fall how much ground they can gain as a tournament progresses. At the Wolverine Invitational, Southern Utah lowered its team score each round, moving from 301 to 295 before closing with a 282 (-6), the lowest team round of that tournament.
That finish included a 68 from Luangnam, a 69 from Schoeffler and a 73 from Johnson—each golfer's lowest round of the event. Those performances provide an encouraging reference point as SUU looks to improve upon Monday's opening total.
"While Saylar put together a good start to her 54-hole tournament, we know as a team that we didn't play to the level we're capable of, and we're disappointed with our performance. There is still plenty of golf ahead, and our focus is on responding the right way in the rounds to come. We've shown earlier this fall that we can make significant improvements from one round to the next, and we need to carry that confidence forward, make better decisions and take advantage of the opportunities ahead of us."
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