OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – [Full Leader Board] It was clear skies and sunshine at Lincoln Park West for the third day of the 2022 NAIA Women’s Golf National Championship.  

Despite early weather related setbacks in the week, all 156 golfers were met with outstanding weather to finish out the first and second rounds to lean into the 36-hole cut.

The final round of the NAIA women’s golf national championship will begin at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow with tee times off hole one and hole 10.

Phenomenal, record-setting performances were on display throughout the greenery on day three, as today’s first group played continuously through one and a half rounds of golf. SCAD – Savannah (GA.) and Oklahoma City secured themselves in the top three. SCAD – Savannah brought in an eight-over par with a 584 team score and Oklahoma City edged the Bees slightly with a team score of 582 for six-over par.

British Columbia separated themselves from the rest considerably though with a 572 team score on a pair of 286 rounds and stand at four-under par. Not only is a 286 the lowest team score through 18 holes at the NAIA National Tournament, but the Thunderbirds bust their former lowest total through 36 holes with a 572, 18 strokes better than the record they set in 2019.

Truett McConnell improved two spots and now are camped at fifth heading into the final day of competition. The Lady Bears posted a 588, 21-over par, and were led by the tournament’s individual front-runner, MinJi Kang.

Kang delivered a superb performance amongst a talented field of nine other golfers that were also under-par after the cut. As for Kang, she improved by three strokes from round one to round two with a record-setting 135 (69, 66) for nine-under par. She now holds two NAIA tournament records, the lowest score in an 18-hole round with a 66 and the lowest total in 36 holes with a 135.

Highlights

• MinJi Kang now holds NAIA tournament records of lowest score through 18 holes and 36 holes.
• British Columbia breaks their own tournament record from 2019 by 18 strokes for lowest 36-hole score.
• Taylor (Ind.) shaved off 22 strokes from round one to round two to get through the cut in T14th place.
• Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) and Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) were ranked No. 13 and No. 8 in the final regular season poll, but were the first two teams out from the cut. Lindsey Wilson missed qualifying for the championship round by three strokes, while Embry-Riddle came up four strokes shy.
• Truett McConnell, Cumberland (Tenn.), and USC Beaufort (S.C.) each earn spots within the top 10 on the final day, as teams that ranked No. 16 or higher in the final regular season poll. (No. 16 Cumberland, No. 19 Truett McConnell, and No. 21 USC Beaufort)
• 30 golfers had at least one round at or under par between rounds one and two.

Top 17 Team Cut Line

1 – British Columbia – [-4]
2 – Oklahoma City – [+6]
3 – SCAD – Savannah – [+8]
4 – Dalton State (Ga.) – [+12]
5 – Truett McConnell (Ga.) – [+21]
6 – Keiser (Fla.) – [+23]
7 – Menlo (Calif.) – [+25]
8 – Loyola (La.) – [+27]
T8 – Cumberland (Tenn.) –[+27]
T8 – USC Beaufort (S.C.) – [+27]
11 – William Carey (Miss.) – [+28]
12 – Texas Wesleyan - [+30]
13 – SCAD – Atlanta – [+31]
T14 – Indiana Wesleyan – [+32]
T14 – Taylor (Ind.) – [+32]
16 – Milligan (Tenn.) – [+32]
17 – Southeastern (Fla.) – [+36]

Three of the individuals who made the cut line had reached the 27^th Annual event as an individual qualifier. The other four will continue to play, but no longer in the hunt for the team championship. Among this class of individual qualifiers, none of their institutions have attained an individual championship in their schools’ histories. 

Individual Cut Line (Within Top 40)

7 – Serah Khanyereri - St. Thomas (Fla.) 72 - 69 [-2]
T18 - Kaetlin Halseth – Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) 72 – 74 [+2]
T18 – Margaux Catafort-Sila – Olivet Nazarene 72 – 74 [+2]
T23 – Ida Lihufvudh – Bethany (Kan.) 78 - 69 [+3]
T23 – Payton Canon – Oregon Tech 74 – 73 [+3]
T27 – Olivia Lange – William Penn (Iowa) 74 – 74 [+4]
T34 – Maria Pinedo – Bellevue (Neb.) 78 – 72 [+6]