The 7th ranked Barton Community College women's golf team fought back from a slow start Monday in Ankeny, Iowa, to surge ahead midway through Tuesday's final round of the Region VI/Plains District Tournament to beat the field by five strokes in capturing the title.
Sunday's practice round provided the Cougars their lone preview of the Otter Creek Golf Course layout, getting off to a slow start at 14-over through Monday's first nine holes before warming up after the turn in shaving six strokes for an eventual 306 round.
Facing a four stroke deficit in trailing 11th ranked Iowa Western, none of the nine competing teams improved in the final round as the Cougars stayed steady with a 307 while the Reivers posted a 316 in sliding out of the top position.
Barton finished a combined 45-over 613, the Reivers at 50-over 618 while 21st ranked Des Moines Community College placed a distant third at 95-over 663.
Next up for the Cougars is their 13th straight appearance in the NJCAA Division I Championship, being held May 9-12 at Garden City's Buffalo Dunes Golf Course.
The Cougars placed all five competitors in the top twenty of the 56-competitor field, bringing home the program's 8th Region VI crown and first Plains District title since the NJCAA's post-season re-alignment two years ago.
Leading the way was Yu Wei Chiang, a big reason for the Cougars' comeback in closing the back nine shooting 2-under to finish the round at 2-over 73. Despite not recording a birdie in the first nine holes, Chiang would chalk up two birdies in each of the next trio of nine holes to finish with a tournament leading six birdies and the leader on the Par 4s at 1-over.
In a battle against a pair of Reivers for individual honors, two back nine bogeys offsetting a pair of birdies provided the difference as Chiang played the final nine even to post a 3-over 74 for a combined 5-over 147 to finish out of the top individual spot by one stroke.
Chiang's Region/District placing was the highest since 2019 when Mutita Booranakunamanee won the Region VI Championship with a 2-over par two-round score.
Iowa Western's Baylie Pike took home the individual honors behind consistent 73 rounds while round one leader Madi Schlaepfer, who also posted six birdies in the tournament, carded 72 and 76 rounds in trailing Chiang by one giving the Reivers two of the top three spots.
Despite the slow start for the team overall, Pornnapa Inmee carded a pair of birdies in the first nine holes, making the turn at 1-over to finish the round in sixth at 5-over 76. Carding three of her five birdies in the final round, Inmee jumped two spots behind a 3-over 74 round to finish in 4th at 8-over 150.
Consistency was the key for not only the team success but for individual placings, Saya Schweitzer being the next in line behind 79 and 78 rounds for a 7th place finish of 15-over 157. Schweitzer helped the Cougars lead the tournament's Par 4 scores in chalking up a field second best 22 pars including a fifth best 5-over on the four-stroke holes.
In addition to Chiang's strong back nine performance, Valentina Leyva shaved off five strokes from the first nine in posting a team second best 1-over after the turn for a ninth place 7-over 78 round. Ranking a seventh best 7-over on the Par 4s for a tournament, Leyva closed with an 81 to finish in 10th at 17-over 159.
Andrea Peraza rounded out the Cougars' squad in 20th position at 26-over 168, making a five spot improvement from an opening 85 with a closing 83 round.
Complete Region VI/Plains District Results: Team Individuals
Barton Scores:
2nd Yu Wei Chiang +5, 147 (73-74)
4th Pornnapa Inmee +8, 150 (76-74)
7th Saya Schweitzer +15, 157 (79-78)
10th Valentina Leyva +17, 159 (78-81)
T-20th Andrea Peraza +26, 168 (85-83)
