O’Toole, Hsu closing in on return trips to Open
BOYNTON BEACH — With 13 players scheduled to return today to finish their weather-interrupted rounds, only a late birdie run could prevent the t wo front-runners from Friday’s Sectional from advancing to next month’s U.S. Women’s Open.
Ryann O’Toole of Orlando and Wei-Ling Hsu of Taiwan shot 8-under 136 over 36 holes at the Quail Ridge Country Club South course and are expected to advance to the Open, set for July 9-12 at Lancaster (Pa.) Country Club.
Only two players are in position to catch them: Paola Moreno of Weston is 4 under with four holes to play, and Perrine Delacour of Orlando is 3 under with five holes remaining. Both would have to birdie all their remaining holes to get to 8 under.
With a previously scheduled member- member tournament being played this morning, the 13 players who have yet to finish won’t start until 1:30 p.m.
No rain fell on the course Friday, but lightning sensors accurate to 7 miles repeatedly went off during the early afternoon, forcing delays amounting to about two hours. That prevented about half the field from finishing, but many of those opted not to return.
Jaye Marie Green of Boca Raton was the highest local finisher at under 139. She will claim one of t wo alternate spots unless she is overtaken by both Moreno and Delacour.
While O’Toole and Hsu are regulars on the LPGA Tour, neither had qualified for the Open. Hsu is a rookie and O’Toole finished outside the top 70 last year and had to regain her playing card through Q School.
O’Toole has played the Open three times with her best finish ninth in 2011, while Hsu qualified last year and missed the cut. Hsu said she was motivated by that showing at Pinehurst to get back for another try.
“I was nervous and shot terrible on the first nine, like 8 over, so I missed the cut,” she said. “Just too nervous. Couldn’t make anything.”
She took a commanding lead with a 6-under 66 in her morning round Friday that featured seven birdies and one bogey, then held it together for a under 70 in her second 18.
O’Toole had back-toback rounds of 68.
Northwood wins NAIA: Northwood University of West Palm Beach compiled the third-best team score in tournament history to win the NAIA women’s championship by 22 strokes last weekend at Savannah Quarters Country Club in Pooley, Ga.
Northwood was tied with Universit y of the Cumberlands (Kentucky) and was one shot ahead of Dalton State heading into the final round before shooting only the second sub-300 round of the tournament, an 8-over-par 286, to pull away for its second national title.
Northwood also won in 2003.
“We had been ranked No. 1 all season, but when you get to the tournament everyone starts at even par,” said coach Brandon Miller, who was named NAIA Coach of the Year.
Northridge’s total of 1,211 trailed only the 1,209 amassed a year ago by Oklahoma City and Savannah College of Art and Design.
Elsa Westin finished at 9 over to place second in the individual category.