The top-ranked Stanford women’s golf team built a five-stroke lead before play was interrupted late in the second round of the Lamkin San Diego Invitational on Monday at The Farms Golf Club in Rancho Santa Fe, California, thanks to aces by Rachel Heck and Caroline Sturdza.
In the morning round, Heck aced the par-3, 141-yard 14th hole on route to a first-round 70. Rose Zhang, the world’s top female amateur, and junior Sadie Englemann both scored 3-under rounds of 69 to lead the Cardinal to an 8-under opening round of 280, seven shots better than Arizona State and San Jose State.
Sturdza, a freshman from Geneva, Switzerland, hit a hole-in-one on the par-3, 181-yard fifth hole in round two, giving the Cardinal their second hole-in-one of the day.
The Cardinal hadn’t had a hole-in-one since Aline Krauter’s ace at the Silverado Showdown on April 8, 2019, almost three years ago. Krauter isn’t in the Cards’ lineup this week after competing in the LET’s Magical Kenya Ladies Open and making the cut.
Stanford was 6-over on its second 18 when play was delayed due to darkness, with the majority of the field still on the course, after shooting an 8-under round in the morning. On Tuesday morning, the second round will be finished, followed by the final round.
Emma Spitz of UCLA completed both rounds and is the leader in the clubhouse at 4-under 140 (72-68). With one hole remaining in her second round, Natasha Andrea Oon of San Jose State is 3-under for the tournament, while Bentley Cotton of Texas and Ashley Menne of Arizona State are both 2-under 142.
The Lamkin Invitational field also includes No. 4 Oregon, No. 11 Texas, No. 12 Arizona State, No. 13 San Jose State, No. 15 UCLA, No. 16 USC, No. 17 and defending NCAA champion Ole Miss, and No. 23 Arizona, who are all ranked inside the Top-25.
