May 13, 2008

Rachael Schmidt (Jr./Elk River, Minn.) shot a 76 (+4) on the first day of the NCAA Division II Women's Golf Championships. The tournament is being played at the Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston, Texas. Schmidt teed off in the first group today with fellow individuals. This marks the third time that Schmidt has earned an individual spot at the NCAA Division II Championships.

Schmidt opened up today's round with a bogey on the opening hole, which is a par-five, but then birdied holes two and three to get back under par. After a bogey on hole five, the junior got another stroke back on the par-five eighth hole with a birdie. Schmidt made the turn with a 35 (-1). The Elk River native found trouble on holes eleven (double bogey) and twelve (bogey) as she moved to +2 on the day. She recovered and racked up four straight pars, but bogeys on her card for seventeen and eighteen made her score add up to a 76 for the first round. Schmidt's 76 places her in a tie for 16th just six strokes off the lead set by Fredrika Hakansson of Nova Southeastern and Heather Burgner of Florida Southern, who both turned in a two-under par 70.

The National Championship is a four round event that will crown both a team champion and ten All-Americans. Schmidt finished 10th as a freshman in 2006 to earn All-American honors by compiling a 54-hole total of 236 (78.6 average). As a sophomore, Schmidt finished 32nd in 2007 with a 72-hole total of 317 (79.2 average). She is set to tee off beginning on the back nine tomorrow at 7:18 a.m.