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UND Athletics

Uselman Goes Wire-to-Wire to Win Yellowstone Intercollegiate

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BOZEMAN, Mont. -- For the second straight tournament, a North Dakota golfer is bringing home an individual title.

Mallory Uselman completed a wire-to-wire victory at the Yellowstone Intercollegiate on Tuesday, finishing at 1-under 215 (67-72-76) to capture the individual crown at Riverside Country Club. Uselman's victory gives the Fighting Hawks back-to-back medalists after Gigi Lund won the Tracy Lane Memorial last week.

Uselman entered Tuesday with a four-stroke advantage following a historic opening day and held off the field with a final-round 76. Her 215 was three strokes better than runner-up Vienna Scheffer of Weber State.

The victory capped a career week for Uselman, who opened the tournament by firing a school-record 5-under 67, the lowest individual round in program history. She finished the tournament at 1-under to establish a new 54-hole career best by eight strokes while securing her first top-10 finish at UND.

Uselman's performance stood out statistically throughout the tournament. She tied for the tournament lead in par-4 scoring average at 4.07, tied for third on the par-5s at 4.58 and tied for the tournament lead with an eagle. Her 13 birdies ranked second among the field.

North Dakota also made some history as a team, finishing fourth with a three-round score of 898 (299-303-296). The total was the lowest 54-hole team score of UND's Division I era, which began in 2008, and marked just the second sub-900 tournament during that span. The Fighting Hawks' final-round 296 was their best team round of the tournament.

Payton Stocker continued the strong start to her collegiate career by firing a career-best even-par 72 in the final round to finish tied for 14th at 223 (76-75-72). Stocker has now posted a top-15 finish in each of her first three collegiate tournaments.

Sophie Cook also saved her best golf for the final round, matching her career-low with an even-par 72 to climb into a tie for 29th at 229 (78-79-72). Gigi Lund tied for 37th at 231 (78-77-76), while Ella Speidel finished 53rd at 238 (79-80-79).

"I'm so proud of the team and Mallory," UND head women's golf coach Kris Kroetsch said. "They are hard working, gritty and play for each other, so to see their hard work come together is really gratifying."

As a team, North Dakota finished second in par-4 scoring average at 4.23 and tied for fourth on the par-5s at 5.10. The Fighting Hawks were also one of only three teams to record an eagle and finished third in the field with 35 birdies.

UND will head next to the Pat Lesser Harbottle Invitational, beginning Monday, Oct. 5, at Tacoma Country Club in Tacoma, Washington.
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