Reiver Women Record Their Best Finish at the National Championships
What started out as a normal begining to the 2021 National Championships hosted at Plantation Bay Golf Course in Osmond, FL. turned into anything but that. After opening the first round with a team score of 331 and led by Luisa Gibson 77, the women sat in 3rd place over-all. But what came next over the next three days was anything but normal. The Reivers arrived at the golf course for round 2 and their first tee time at 12:40. After getting in their first 9 holes for most of the players, the weather started to not cooprate with the field. The women were called off the field at approx. 3:30 pm. Because of COVID the players had to wait in their vehichles for storms to pass. However, 3 hours later and around 6:30 the committee decided that they would suspend play for the rest of the day.
Returning to the course at 6:15 am to complete round 2, the Reivers found themselves a little rusty and recorded their highest team score for the year, 349. Round 2 completed approx. 10:30 and the team had to wait around for Round 3 to begin and their tee times at 1:40 pm. Round 3 brought even more uncertainty with the weather conditions the same as the previous day. Once again, the team was called off the course at 4:30 and had to sit in the vehicles for storms to pass. The committee saw a window of opportunity and put the players back on the course at approx. 6:45 to try and complete round 3. However, Mother nature didn't cooporate once again. With just 4 holes remaing to finish the round the ladies were once again pulled off the field and play was suspended at roughly 8:00 pm.
Just like the movie "Groundhog Day' the team returned to the course to finish Round 3. This time the results was a little better and the team recorded a team score of 332, lead again by Gibson and a 77. The committee then inacted a 'cut' for the first time in many years and only took the top 15 teams and top 24 individuals to try and complete the tournament. This time round 4 was a shot gun start. With nothing to lose and sitting in 7th place as a team the women went out and played their best round of the tournament. Recording a team score of 326 which moved them all the way up tied for 4th place and completeing the tournament with their best finish in school history!
Gibson completed her Freshman year with 2nd team All-American Honors and a 10th place finish. Seira Kubo, had a solid 4th round recorded the best Reiver round of the tournement with a 74 which earned her Honorable Mention All-American honors. Maya Northcutt finished her career with Iowa Western with a tie for 39th place. Her opening round of 82 helped put the team in 3rd palce after the first round. Holly Elliott was a few places back in 42nd place and fellow Freshman Katie Schweers finished in 57th place.
"For everything that was thrown at these girls, the weather, the condition of the course, speed of the greens, everything, they really focused and competed the best they could." Said Assistant Caoch Matt Robinson. "We are going to say good bye to Maya, and we appreciate everything she did for this program!"