Golden Suns victorious at super regional; advance to national championship

ATU Sports
Paul Smith, Director of Athletic Communications

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – After missing the championship cut on a playoff hole last year, the Arkansas Tech women’s golf team rebounded this season by winning the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Central Super Regional Championship Wednesday afternoon at the Minnehaha Country Club in Sioux Falls, S.D. to advance to the NCAA Division II National Championships.

NEXT UP

• The Golden Suns will travel to Findlay, Ohio for the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf National Championships being played at the Findlay Country Club from May 17-20.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• No. 23 Arkansas Tech pulled away during the third round as the team shot the low round with a 295 (+11) to finish the tournament with a 903 (+51). The Golden Suns won the championship by 13 strokes over No. 32 Augustana (916, +64) and 27 strokes over Great American Conference rival No. 46 Henderson State (930, +78). Augustana and Henderson State will be two other Central Region representatives in the national championships.
• It is the third time in four years that the Golden Suns will advance to the Division II National Championships. Tech made it to the championships after getting top three finishes in the 2014 and 2015 Central Super Regionals. The Golden Suns also had national championship participants during the 2013 and 2016 seasons as Rebecka Surtevall won the Central Super Regional in 2013 while Caroline Fredensborg finished in a tie for third at the 2016 event.
• Pia Nunbhakdi became the second Golden Suns golfer to win the Central Super Regional as she fired the low-round third round score of 73 (+2) to finish with an overall score of 221 (+8). Nunbhakdi won the event by three strokes over Henderson State’s Sarah Wright and the 2015 Central Super Regional Champion from Augustana, Sierra Langlie (224, +11).
• It was Nunbhakdi’s third career tournament win after pulling out the victory at the Southern Bancorp Invitational earlier this spring as well as winning the 2016 Great American Conference Championship last year as a freshman.
• Avery Struck came away with a top 10 finish of her own as she tied the low round score of 73 (+2) as well to finish with an overall score of 225 (+12).
• Breaking into the top 10 as well was Anna Frandsen, who came away with a seventh place finish after carding a third round 75 (+4) to finish with a 229 (+16).

FINAL TEAM RESULTS
() – denotes NCAA ranking

FINAL INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
() – denotes Golfstat ranking
* – denotes playing as an individual