After 18 holes of the 2024 Cardinal Cup, Western Kentucky’s women’s golf team sits tied for third while senior Catie Craig is in second, one shot off the individual lead.

The Lady Toppers are tied with the hosts, Louisville, and just behind Rutgers and Middle Tennessee on the leaderboard.

The day began with a two-hour delay due to inclement weather.

The Lady Tops were second-best in the field on the par 5s, combining to shoot 1-under par. WKU is in the top five in the 15-team field in both pars (57) and birdies (9).

“It’s never easy to start the day in a delay, but I’m proud of how the team battled through the conditions to put ourselves in a strong position after 18 holes,” WKU head coach Adam Gary said in a news release. “It was great to see Catie and several others get off to a strong start. Catie has put herself in position to compete for medalist honors over the next 36 holes and our team is right there to make a push towards the top of the leaderboard this weekend as well.”

Craig fired a 2-under 70 and sits in second overall, one stroke behind Grace Lu of Rutgers. Craig had four birdies and two bogeys in her round.

Both Averi Cline and Julia Zigrossi are tied for 21st after identical 3-over 75s. Cline tallied just one birdie, while Zigrossi tied Craig for the team-high with four.

Sydney Hackett and Kaylee Dwyer (individual) are tied for 36th at 5-over 77. Dwyer had one birdie against six bogeys, while Hackett had 13 pars and five bogeys.

Regan Folk (individual) and Nina McMurtrey are also competing for the Tops. Folk ended her first nine with a birdie on No. 17 and a par on No. 18. 

TEAM LEADERBOARD

1. Rutgers | 291 (-3)

2. Middle Tennessee | 294 (+6)

T3. WESTERN KENTUCKY | 297 (+9)

T3. Louisville | 297 (+9)

T5. James Madison | 298 (+10)

T5. Lipscomb | 298 (+10)

INDIVIDUAL LEADERBOARD

1. Grace Lu, Rutgers | 69 (-3)

2. CATIE CRAIG, WKU | 70 (-2)

T3. Kendall Maynard, MTSU | 71 (-1)

T3. Thienna Hunyh, Louisville | 71 (-1)

T3. Bella Flores, James Madison | 71 (-1)

T3. Carmen Griffiths, Louisville | 71 (-1)

T21. AVERI CLINE, WKU | 75 (+3)

T21. JULIA ZIGROSSI, WKU | 75 (+3)

T36. SYDNEY HACKETT, WKU | 77 (+5)

T36. KAYLEE DWYER*, WKU | 77 (+5)

T64. REAGAN FOLK*, WKU | 80 (+8)

T70. NINA McMURTREY, WKU | 81 (+9)