Freshman Kristina Merkle leads the individual race with a three-under par 69.

Women's Golf Home HEADLINES Tulsa Finishes Seventh at Turtle Bay Resort College Invitational Golden Hurricane in 10th Place at Turtle Bay Resort College Invitational Tulsa In Ninth Place at Turtle Bay Resort College Invitational RELATED LINKS • Follow all of the college golf action at CollegeSports.com • Email this to a friend

Tulsa Women Golfers In the Lead at Johnie Imes Invitational

Merkle leads individual race

Oct. 5, 2009

Columbia, Missouri - The University of Tulsa's 35th-ranked women's golf team leads the way with a first round 301 total at the Johnie Imes Invitational at the Club at Old Hawthorne in Columbia, Missouri.

TU is four strokes ahead of Illinois State, which sits in second place with a 305 total. Wisconsin shot a 309 first round score for third place, while Indiana and Missouri State are tied for fourth place with 310 totals.

Freshman Kristina Merkle leads the individual race with a three-under par 69 and is two strokes ahead of Bradley's Kelly Amundrud. Sarah Elliot finished the round four-over par with a 76 total, Shu-Yin Liu is one stroke back in 15th place and Abby Allford is tied for 34th place with a 79 score. Marita Engzelius and Kamryn Ruffin, who is competing as an independent, shot 80 in the first round for 45th place.

The second round will continue tomorrow, followed by the third and final round.

Team Results
1. Tulsa - 301
2. Illinois State - 305
3. Wisconsin - 309
T4. Indiana - 310
T4. Missouri State - 310
6. Arkansas-Little Rock - 311
T7. Mississippi - 314
T7. Florida International - 314
9. Missouri - 316
T10. Kansas State - 318
T10. Bradley - 318
12. Kansas - 319
T13. Iowa - 320
T13. Middle Tennessee State - 320
T13. Princeton - 320
16. Southern Illinois - 324
17. UMKC - 335
18. Redlands Community College - 341
Top-Five Individuals
1. Kristina Merkle, Tulsa - 69
2. Kelly Amundrud, Bradley - 71
T3. Molly Schemm, Wisconsin - 72
T3. Stacey Miller, Illinois State - 72
5. Heather Smith, Missouri State - 73
Tulsa Results 
1. Kristina Merkle - 69
T11. Sarah Elliot - 76
T15. Shu-Yin Liu - 77
T34. Abby Allford - 79
T45. Marita Engzelius - 80
T45. Kamryn Ruffin (Independent) - 80