2023-09-24 18:07:27
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HIGH POINT, N.C. — High Point University women’s golf flies across the country to compete in the Golfweek Red Sky Classic in Vail, Colo., beginning Monday morning. Ahead of the team’s second tournament, the Panthers were ranked No. 95 in the Women’s Team Collegiate Rankingspresented by StrackaLine.
EVENT INFO
Fazio Course | Red Sky Country Club | Vail, Coloardo
Monday, Sept. 25 | 18 holes | Tee times | 12:00 p.m. ET | (10:00 a.m. MT)
Tuesday, Sept. 26 | 18 holes | Tee times | 12:00 p.m. ET | (10:00 a.m. MT)
Wednesday, Sept 27 | 18 holes | Shotgun start | 11:15 ET | (9:15 a.m. MT)
TEAMS
Arkansas State, Mercer, New Mexico State, Pepperdine, Wofford, Kennesaw State, Murray State, East Tennessee State, Little Rock, Boise State, Central Arkansas, UNLV, South Dakota State, UNCG
“The team and I are very excited for our trip to Vail,” HPU Women’s Golf Head Coach Lyndsey Hunnell said. “This is our first time playing in this event and being on that side of the country. We’ve been preparing hard this week to be ready for this event. We’ve been focusing on pinpointing our club distances, so we can make conversions for the altitude change as well as making sure our bodies are ready for it.”
This year will be the first time High Point has traveled to the Golfweek Red Sky Classic. Standout student-athlete Danielle Suh will be leading the Panthers following a top-5 finish in the season-opening tournament. McLaughlin is slated for second in the lineup, followed by freshman Anna Howerton, while sophomore Ella Perna and senior captain Vynie Chen round out the roster for HPU.
“My personal expectation is to just have fun!” graduate student-athlete McLaughlin said. “I want to play well and help the team, but I’m really going into the tournament seeing how blessed we are to get to play in Colorado. All I am hoping is that I play how I know I can and help the team. Our teams expectations are that we won’t give up and play some great golf. Hopefully we will think regarding one shot at a time and have fun!”
The Red Sky Classic will be played at the Red Sky Golf Club’s Fazio golf course, which sits at an elevation of over 7,000 feet above sea level. The Fazio Course was created by Tom Fazio, who incorporated a variety of terrain such as open sage covered hills, dense aspen forests, and a highland lake, challenging golfers of all skill levels.
Altitude changes affect how far a ball will go following it is struck. According to Titleist, golf balls fly further in higher altitudes mainly because the density of the air is lower, thus the thinner air exerts less drag on the ball allowing it to go further. Additionally, higher altitudes means being further away from the Earth’s center, causing the force of gravity to be weaker. Weaker gravitational pull means the golf ball will be able to go further distances before being pulled back to the ground.
“We have been preparing for Red Sky and the altitude change by making conversion sheets,” McLaughlin said. “Coach has been great with sending us different percentages of altitude and showing us how far the ball will travel. During the practice round, we will be hitting multiple shots to see which percentage works best so we can adjust. I personally have never played in altitude so I’m excited to see the ball go so much farther! Going into this week, I am planning on finding my yardages and committing to the shot. Have a change in yardages can get into your head and change your swing. All I am planning to do it decide on a yardage and commit.”
Last time the Panthers played was at the Nittany Lion Invite hosted by Power 5 school, Penn State University. High Point tied for third out of the 10 teams that attended, three teams above its power-five host, and the Panthers shot 29 shots better than last year’s performance.
HPU’s impressive start was led by Suh. The senior captain recorded a career-low second round of 4-under 68 with five birdies, three shot consecutively, on a par 72 course. The Suh’s amazing performance led her to place fifth out of the 57 golfers. McLaughlin, making her debut in purple and white, was the next lowest for the Panthers. The graduate student shot three birdies in the second, and four birdies in the third, carding her a 74 and 73, respectively, which landed her a T12 finish.
Howerton made her collegiate debut at Penn State, shooting an even 72 in her second round, leading to a 17th place finish. Perna was right on the freshman’s heels, shooting four birdies and recording a 72 in the first round, good for a T18 finish. Chen was last on High Point’s roster. She carded two eagles over the course of the tournament and finished at T30.
“Playing my first tournament as a Panther was so much fun,” McLaughlin said. “I was very nervous at first because I didn’t want to let my team down, but the nerves started to settle once I played the first two holes. Our team chemistry is amazing. All eight of us act and love each other like sisters! I mightn’t have asked for a better group of girls!”
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