Led by seniors Jenny and Kristin Coleman, the University of Colorado women’s golf team finished second at the 17 team Colonel Wollenberg Ptarmigan Ram Classic. The Buffaloes finished two spots ahead of their first round position in their first tournament of the 2013 season.

After play was suspended during Monday’s second round due to weather, the Buffs improved in the final rounds here Tuesday. Colorado shaved off three strokes each round, finishing the 54-hole event at 18-over par 882 (297-294-291) at the par 72, 6,352-yard Ptarmigan Country Club.

“The team has made great progress from last year,” CU head coach Anne Kelly said. “We gave it a go today, didn’t quite finish it off, but I definitely see signs of progress. We know what areas we need to work on, and there’s definitely room for improvement. It’s a good kickoff to the season. Our goal coming into the year was to be in contention in every tournament that we play, and we were. Unfortunately, we didn’t quite get the win, but they played well. Jenny and Kristin (Coleman) really led the way for us.”

Jenny and Kristin Coleman are identical twins

With two players shooting under par in the final round, California continued its dominance to claim the team title, shooting a 9-over par 873 (291-296-286) for a nine stroke lead over Colorado. Illinois finished third with a 22-over par 886. UNLV moved up a spot from its first and second round finishes for fourth place with a 24-over par 888 total. New Mexico remained in contention in the opening rounds, but slid to fifth place in the final, shooting a 27-over par 891.

Jenny Coleman led the Buffs, shooting an even par 216 to tie for fifth. A birdie on the 15th hole in the second round helped her to an even par performance to begin the day. In the third round, she shot four birdies to lead her to a 1-under par 71 performance. Coleman led the Buffs with 12 total birdies.

Kristin Coleman was close behind, placing eighth after shooting a 1-over par 217. After shooting 1-over par 73 in the first round, she finished the final two shooting an even par. Through three rounds, Coleman shot nine birdies and 36 pars.

Allie Zech tied for 30th with an 11-over par 227 total. She struggled in her final holes of the second round, shooting a 5-over par 77, but improved in the final round with a 2-over par 74. Zech was the only golfer to record a birdie on the 17th hole in the third round, and one of just 13 total to do so on the par 4, 386-yard hole.

Alexis Keating and Jamie Oleksiew both tied for 27th, shooting 10-over par 226. Keating led the Buffs, shooting 37 pars. She added two strokes in the second round, but had her best performance in the final round, with a 2-over par 74. Oleksiew improved in the final two rounds, shooting 1- and 2-over par, respectively, after finishing 49th after her first round score of 7-over par 79.

Competing as an individual, Megan Haase finished tied for 65th with a 22-over par 238. She shot an 8-over par 80 in the second round and a 7-over par 79 in the third.

UNLV’s Dana Finkelstein took home the individual title, shooting a 4-under par 212 (71-70-71). California’s Nicola Roessler and New Mexico’s Sammi Stevens tied for second with a 3-under par 213. Cal’s Carly Childs finished fourth with a 1-under par 215. Leilanie Kim (Idaho) and Samantha Postillion (Illinois) tied CU’s Jenny Coleman for fifth after finishing an even par 216.

Next up for the Buffs is a trip to Albuquerque, N.M., for the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational on September 20-21.

Marlee Horn

Graduate Assistant SID
University of Colorado
O: 303.492.7525 C: 719.821.0689
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