Junior Danae Rugola tied for 12th to lead three members of the Youngstown State women's golf team who competed as individuals at the Pizza Hut Lady Thunderbird Invitational, which concluded on Saturday at Sunbrook Golf Club in St. George, Utah.
The tournament, which was hosted by Southern Utah, was a three-day, 54-hole event with the field playing 18 holes on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Rugola, Lizzie Saur and Tori Utrup each competed as individuals for the Penguins.
Rugola tied for 12th with a three-round score of 226 (74-76-76) to earn her fourth top-15 finish of the season. The junior has now also recorded six top-25 finishes in seven stroke-play events this season. Rugola's first-round 74 featured 11 pars and three birdies as she made par or better on 10 of her final 12 holes. The junior fired an even-par 36 on the front nine during the first round.
Rugola's second-round 76 included 13 pars and a birdie on the par-four No. 14 as she made par on 10 of her final 12 holes. The Uniontown, Pa., native carded a one-over-par 37 on the back nine during the second session. Rugola's final-round 76 featured seven pars and four birdies as she carded a two-under-par 34 on the back nine.
Saur finished tied for 27th with a three-round 231 (77-77-77). Saur's first-round 77 featured 12 pars and a birdie on the par-four No. 14 as she made par on 11 of her final 12 holes. The freshman's second-round 77 included 10 pars and a pair of birdies as she fired a one-over-par 37 on the back nine. The Grove City, Ohio, native made par or better on seven of her final nine holes during the second session. Saur's final-round 77 featured 11 pars and a pair of birdies as she made par or better on 10 of her final 13 holes.
Tori Utrup tied for 89th with a three-round total of 250 (84-83-83). Utrup's first-round 84 featured nine pars while her second-round 83 included nine pars as well. The senior's final-round 83 included eight pars.
Arkansas State won the tournament title by one stroke over Seattle with a three-round team total of 889. Southern Utah's Pluem Yongyuan earned medalist honors by one stroke with a three-round score of 217 (79-68-70). Kiana Oshiro of Oral Roberts finished as the runner-up with a 218 (73-71-74).
The Penguins will continue their spring schedule on March 19 with a dual match against Northern Kentucky at Elks Run Golf Club in Batavia, Ohio.
