Brutal winds were no match for Albiona Zhubi, as she shot a team-low 79 in the first round of the Oral Roberts University Invitational in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Zhubi paced the Illinois State womens golf team to a 2nd-place ranking going into Tuesdays second round.
Zhubis scores of 38-41 put her in a tie for sixth place after todays first eighteen holes of the ORU Invite, played at the blustery Battle Creek Golf Course. Finishing behind Zhubi were ISUs Ashlie Rose, who sits in a tie for ninth place with an 80. Samantha Richdale was the next Redbird finisher with an 82, tying for the 13th spot. Rounding out the traveling five for Illinois State were Ashlee Johnson, who carded an 83 (tied for 20th) and Katie Laehn, who sits in a tie for 32nd after turning in an 87.
Illinois State head coach
Ray Kralis felt the weather conditions played a part in the Birds second-place performance.
The strong winds and fast greens made for difficult scoring conditions in todays first round, said Kralis. The home-course advantage that Oral Roberts had coming into the tournament was definitely magnified today.
Tournament host Oral Roberts leads the tournament with a team score of 313. ORUs Amanda Fisher is in first place individually, just two strokes ahead of Zhubi with a 77. Missouri Valley Conference rival, SMS, is in tenth place after the first round, with a score of 353.
Kralis anticipates the team attitude will make the difference in Tuesdays final round.
Everyone handled themselves well mentally today, unfortunately the weather didnt cooperate, Kralis said. Were not panicking being behind ORU by 11 strokes, but tomorrow we just need to go out with the right attitude and hope to get the job done.
