Oregon State is on the verge of its first NCAA women’s golf tournament appearance in 25 years following a school-record performance at the Westfield (Ind.) regional Tuesday.
The Beavers, one of the last teams to earn an at-large berth in the 72-team regional field, shot an 11-under 277 during Tuesday’s second round at the Westfield regional. OSU moved into second place with a 36-hole score of 13-under 563, eight strokes behind Westfield regional leader Mississippi State.
The Beavers are six strokes ahead of third-place Vanderbilt after two round. The top five teams from the 12-team regional following Wednesday’s final round advance to the NCAA Championship, May 19-24 in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Oregon State made its lone national championship appearance in 1998.
The Westfield regional is played at The Club at Chatham Hills, a par-72, 6,300-yard course.
The Beavers, whose previous high finish in a regional is seventh (2017), have two players among the top 10. Chayse Gomez and Madde Sund are tied for fifth at 5-under 139. Gomez shot a second-round 4-under 68, while Sund posted a 71.
Meanwhile, Oregon has an enormous hill to climb to earn a trip to nationals. The Ducks, last year’s NCAA runner-up and ranked No. 8 this season, are 10th after shooting a second-round 3-over 291. UO is 9-over through two rounds.
Rounding out the top five are Virginia and Tulsa, tied for fourth at 5-under. Oregon finds itself 14 strokes out of fifth with 18 holes remaining. Oregon State has an 11-shot cushion over co-sixth place Xavier and Iowa State.
Oregon State’s second round included 19 birdies and an eagle. The Beavers started fast, as four of OSU’s five players were at least 2-under after five holes. Danique Stokmans, who shot 69, was particularly hot at the outset, as she went eagle-birdie-birdie during the middle of her front nine.
Gomez shot the team’s low score, as her bogeyless 68 included four birdies, two on each side. Sund, who opened with a 68, was briefly tied for the lead at 7-under during the front nine before settling for a 71.
Kyra Ly had the day’s most explosive round, as she made six birdies on the way to a 69. OSU’s lone non-counting score was Amanda Minni’s 73.
Briana Chacon was the only Duck to break par Tuesday, as she shot her second consecutive 71. Chacon is tied for 13th at 2-under 142. Oregon’s other counting second-round scores were Hsin-Yu Lu (72), Anika Varma (74) and Minori Nagano (74).
–Nick Daschel | ndaschel@oregonian.com | @nickdaschel
