TUSCALOOSA, AL – The Northwest Mississippi Community College women's golf team had a lot of good on the course on Thursday morning, competing in day three of the NJCAA Division II Women's Golf Championship as the Rangers stayed in the top ten as a team while keeping a pair in the hunt for top ten finishes in the field as individuals.
"I thought the team did well," Head Coach Adam Payne said. "You could tell it was the fourth day in a row that we've played, with the practice round included, so when you get this late in a national championship, the nerves are shot, you are starting to feel the fatigue, the mental side starts to wear on you, so I thought for the most part we did well."
The best day was Analeigh Little, who had her best round of the tournament, going ten-over on the day with an impressive 40-foot putt for birdie on the sixth to card a 39 at the turn. The freshman did have her struggles on the back nine with a pair of double bogeys spoiling the push up the leaderboard, but she wrapped up the day in a tie for 22nd, up eleven places from where she entered on the day.
"I definitely struck the ball better, but I couldn't score how I wanted to," Little said. "This is the longest tournament I've played, and I kind of came in today thinking about it as a whole new tournament, and that helped."
Bella McNeil also continued to have a strong tournament, picking up her second 84 of the tournament in as many rounds. This was after starting the day with double bogeys on the first two holes, but she played eight-over on the final 16 to stay in the hunt for a top ten finish in her first trip to the national tournament.
Speaking of moves up the leaderboard, Zae'Ja Davis is showing how much of a difference a year can make as the sophomore kept up her steady play through the tournament, posting her second 90, and moving up to 55th in the field.
Davis book ended the day with very impressive portions of her round. She would go one-over on the first three holes of the day before going two-over on the final five. Unfortunately, a pair of triple bogeys and a pair of double bogeys would keep her from breaking 90 for the first time in her career.
Closing out the scoring team for the Rangers was Madison Baker, who had a tough day. The sophomore wasn't able to register a single par and only had eight bogeys on the way to shooting a 107.
Also getting out on the course for the first time was Addison Forbes, who was entered as a substitute for Sarah Niblett after she had stepped in a hole on the first during her second round, and was forced to withdraw due to the injury
Forbes would have an up and down day but ended up finishing with a 107 as well in her first taste of championship action.
The Rangers will get back out onto the course for the final round on Friday morning with tee times beginning at 9:12 A.M. when Forbes will tee off on the 10th, followed by Baker at 9:21, Davis at 9:30, Little at 9:39, and McNeil at 9:48.
"Hopefully tomorrow we can play a little bit better and move up the leaderboard a little bit," Payne said, adding that regardless of what happens, he is proud of how the team improved from the previous season. "They all made massive improvements. It helps when you bring in good freshmen, but also when you have the sophomores buy in and bring the leadership that we need. This team has done everything that I've asked them to do all season long, so tomorrow I want them to go out and enjoy the memories."
Northwest enters the final day of play sitting in 10th place as a team with room to move up in the standings into the top nine.
Follow along with the Rangers at the national tournament by visiting nwccrangers.com or by following along on Northwest social media accounts.
