There are big expectations for senior Jessica Yuen going into the 2019 women’s golf season. The Bolingbrook,Illinois native finished last season with the seventh best shots-per-round average in the program’s history. She was also invited to play at the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur tournament this past March. Yuen is the sole returner for Missouri women’s golf. The remaining four members made their Tiger debut at the Minnesota Invitational.
The tournament got off to a rainy start as play stopped three times on Monday. Despite the wet conditions, junior transfer Noelle Beijer shot four birdies and ended up 2-under par in the first round. Beijer was in the fourth spot to start the tournament and had the best marks for the Tigers after the first round.
Following Beijer was freshman Sophia Yoemans who was 4-over at the end of the first round. Freshman Bri Bolden shot 5-over par, and Yuen and redshirt sophomore Julia Bower rounded out the group both finishing the first round 7-over.
After the first round, Missouri sat in 14th place with a score of 302. Round two of the tournament began Monday, but was eventually postponed due to the rain. The third round was canceled entirely.
Beijer put up the best score for the Tigers again in round two. She finished 1-under par with a total score of 141 and rank of No. 6 overall. Coach Stephanie Priesmeyer was impressed with Beijer’s start.
“What a fantastic start for Noelle,” Priesmeyer said. “She was a spark plug for our team and we needed her experience and her scores [for] this event.”
Yoemans posted another 4-over round to end with a final score of 152. She finished tied for No. 53.
Bower and Bolden put up identical scores of 156 over the two rounds. They were among five golfers who tied for No. 72.
Yuen rounded out the Tigers individually. She struggled over the two rounds, only posting one birdie, which came on the 9th hole of her second round. The peak of Yuen’s troubles came on the 12th and 13th holes of round two. She shot double-par and triple-bogey respectively on those holes. Yuen ended the second round 10-over par and a total score of 161. She finished tied for No. 79 overall.
It was not the start Missouri was looking for in its season opener. The Tigers finished 14th in the 15 team pool, shooting 605, one better than University of Kansas who took last. Kentucky won with a team score of 577.
Missouri will look to bounce back at the Mason Rudolph Championship from Sept. 20 to 22, in Franklin, Tennessee.
_Edited by Emily Leiker | eleiker@themaneater.com_