SOUTH BEND – A three-stroke turnaround on Erskine Park’s 18th hole Monday left Nika Burdova and Delaney Wade tied for the first-round lead in the 97th South Bend Women’s Metro Open.
Burdova, a recent graduate of the Indiana University women’s team from the Czech Republic, and Wade, a recent Penn High School graduate headed to Wofford College, carded rounds of one-under-par 69 to take a five-stroke lead over 24-time Women’s Metro champion Lori Horan into Tuesday’s second round at Elbel Park.
The 23-year-old Burdova, who is planning to turn pro later this summer, opened with four birdies in a frontside three-under 33 and at one point held a four-stroke lead over the 18-year-old Wade, a four-time sectional champion and all-state performer for the Kingsmen. But Burdova played her last five holes in three-over, making a double at the 18th hole. Wade caught her playing the final five holes in one-under, making birdies at Nos. 16 and 18.
Horan, whose first Women’s Metro title came in 1979 as a 16-year-old South Bend Clay student, trailed Burdova by nine strokes after shooting a frontside six-over 41. But Horan, the defending champion, rallied with four birdies in a backside 33.
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Former New Prairie standout Jaiden Winters, a 19-year-old sophomore at Hope College, was alone in fourth after shooting a five-over 75. Last year’s runner-up, 20-year-old Selah Unwin, a Bethel College junior, was tied for fifth at 79 with recent Penn graduate Jill Daniels and Kathleen Cochrane.
97th SOUTH BEND WOMEN’S METRO OPEN
Results from Monday’s first round at the par-70, 4,653-yard Erskine Park Golf Course and starting times for Tuesday’s second round at Elbel Park Golf:
69 (-1): Nika Burdova 32-37, Delaney Wade 36-33
74 (+4): Lori Horan 41-33.
75 (+5): Jaiden Winters 36-39.
79 (+9): Selah Unwin 45-34, Kathleen Cochrane 37-42, Jill Daniels 36-43
81 (+11): Rachel Thompson 38-43
84 (+14): Carolyn Niedbalski 39-45
85 (+15): Tamara Finn 43-42
89 (+19): Susan Sumrall 44-45
97 (+27): Deb Coombs 45-52
99 (+29): Janet Freda 41-58
100 (+30): Debbi Stout 45-55
102 (+32): Tammy Beiter 47-55
107 (+37): Krystle Skelton 52-55
Tuesday’s tee times
8 a.m.: Krystle Skelton, Tammy Beiter
8:10 a.m.: Debbi Stout, Janet Freda
8:20: Susan Sumrall, Deb Coombs, Tamara Finn
8:30: Rachel Thompson, Kathleen Cochrane, Carolyn Niedbalski
8:40: Jill Daniels, Selah Unwin, Jaiden Winters
8:50: Delaney Wade, Lori Horan, Nika Burdova
9 a.m.: Celia Florkowski, Paige Sweikar
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: South Bend Metro Women’s Golf Tournament opening day
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