Kent State leads in Puerto Rico, looking for 3rd season title

The Lady Puerto Rico Classic is loaded with teams from the middle of the country, where winter weather hasn’t exactly been conducive to winter golf. Kent State has always been an outlier in this category, and it continues to be. Through 36 holes at Rio Mar Country Club’s River Course in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, the Golden Flashes have a five-shot lead.

Kent State moved two spots up the leaderboard on Monday with an even-par 288 that was at least three shots better than any other team. First-round leader Arkansas and Purdue, in a share of second, each went 8 over on Monday.

Arkansas now trails by five and Purdue, along with East Carolina, are both eight back at 12 over.

Only four individuals logged a round under par, and one of those was Kent State junior Karoline Stormo. She started on No. 4 in Monday’s shotgun, parring her opening hole then going on a four-hole birdie run. After a 1-under 71, she shares the lead with East Carolina’s Dorthea Forbrigd.

If Kent State can hold on to its position another day, it will be the third team title in six full-field starts this season. Remarkably, Kent State, ranked No. 10 in the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings, has only recorded three head-to-head losses for the whole season.

Aside from the two wins, Kent State finished runner-up in their other three starts, including at last week’s UCF Challenge. The Golden Flashes climbed that leaderboard on the final day with an 8-under team score, the best final-round score of any team.