WAIKOLOA, Hawaii - The No. 11-ranked Colorado State University Pueblo women's golf team opened the Southwest Airlines Dennis Rose Invitational with a strong showing, sitting in second place out of nine teams after the first round at Waikoloa Beach Golf Club.
The ThunderWolves fired a team score of 301 (+21) on the par-70 layout, just four strokes behind tournament leader Hawai'i Pacific University (297, +17). Host Hawai'i Hilo sits three shots back of the Pack in third at 304 (+24).
Leading the charge for CSU Pueblo was Yale Lee, who carded an impressive 71 (+1) to finish the day tied for the individual lead with HPU's Isabella Iorio. The sophomore continued her consistent fall season, pacing the Pack once again against a strong regional field.
Freshman Thale Victoria Estensen posted a 75 (+5) to sit tied for seventh, while Freya Constable and Olivia Heard each contributed rounds of 77 (+7) and 78 (+8), respectively. Rounding out the Pack lineup, Lisa Ekberg carded an 80 (+10) to tie for 26th overall.
The Waikoloa Beach Golf Club offers two distinct nines that showcase the natural beauty and challenge of island golf. The Beach Nine is a must-play, featuring generous landing areas from the tee boxes and large greens surrounded by low-lipped bunkers to reward the social golfer. Skilled and avid players can be aggressive and be rewarded with multiple birdie opportunities. Hole No. 6 is the highlight of this loop — a par-five that plays on an emerald ribbon of fairway between black lava fields down to the ocean, then takes a hard dogleg-left to a putting surface ringed by swaying palm trees and backed by Pacific waves, creating one of the most beautiful and memorable holes in Hawaii.
The Lakes Nine winds its way through the heart of the resort, taking its name from the bodies of water that come into play on five of the nine holes. This classic resort-style layout, part of the original Beach Course built back in 1980, will not beat players up with length but requires strategic shots to avoid lava and water trouble. The lava beds in this area of the resort created some natural elevation changes that were neatly incorporated into the design. Hole No. 8 is a fun and scenic par-three hole with a water carry to reach the receptive green and a towering wall of lava as a backdrop.
With one round remaining, the ThunderWolves are well-positioned to make a push for their third team title of the fall and close out their historic semester on a high note. CSU Pueblo will return to the course Tuesday morning for the final round of the 36-hole event in Waikoloa.
The Dennis Rose Invitational holds a special place in Hawai'i golf history. The late Dennis Rose was the former director of golf and president at Waikoloa, and the tournament was named in his honor following his passing at the age of 59 in 2007 after a two-year battle with cancer.
