Francesca Sumcad
Sumcad Leads Southern Colorado Open
March 23, 2025 | Women's Golf
PUEBLO, Colo. — Colorado sophomore Francesca Sumcad shot a career-best 68 to sit atop the leaderboard after the first round of the 2025 Southern Colorado Open Sunday at the Walking Stick Golf Club.
Playing in her first competitive round in six months, Sumcad registered seven birdies on the day, and at 4-under-par, holds a two-stroke lead heading into Monday's second and final round.
"I came into this weekend with a little anxiety to be honest," said Sumcad who last played in late September's Ram Classic in Fort Collins before an injury derailed her fall season. "My main goal this weekend was to just have fun, relax, take my time and just enjoy the opportunity to play again. It turned out really well for me."
Sumcad spent the majority of the day in first place. After beginning her round with a pair of pars, she scored four-straight birdies between the second and fifth to jump to 4-under.
"I felt really relaxed, really slowed down," Sumcad said. "The pace was kind of slower today which helped and took my time, like a stroll, enjoying the weather which was actually really nice today."
She stayed even through the front nine before her lone hiccup of the day where she played the 10th and 11th at 3-over to drop down to 1-under. Following a par at the 12th, she strung together three more birdies from the 13th to 15th to get back to 4-under. Sumcad made par her last two holes to clinch her second career collegiate round in the 60s.
"I was striking it well today," Sumcad said. "My misses were very well contained. I was hitting a lot of fairways, just pretty straight golf 'fairway-green, fairway-green.' And my putting was good. I was giving myself a lot of 15-footers and just hitting it close, so there were a lot of opportunities there."
Sumcad was one of two Buffaloes playing as individuals in the 36-hole event hosted by CSU-Pueblo at the 6,000-yard Walking Stick course. Freshman Ellen O'Shaughnessy shot even 72 on Sunday and is tied with Anaya Bhandal of Simon Fraser for fifth, four shots back of Sumcad.
O'Shaughnessy had a strong start, opening with a birdie at the par-4 18th. She stayed toe-to-toe with Sumcad early, as birdies on the third and fifth moved her to 3-under through six. O'Shaughnessy fell back to even through 13 but stayed there with the help of birdies on a pair of par-5s at the 13th and 15th as she recorded her sixth round of par or better this season.
"My biggest goal for them is to gain the confidence to be able to one, win a tournament and two, they can make birdies and dow what we (as a coaching staff) set out for them to do," Colorado assistant coach Mia Landegren said. "I want them to know they can trust their game and they are good enough players to win tournaments and help the team out."
Sumcad was one of only four golfers in the 84-player field to shoot under par. Olivia Heard, the 21st ranked junior college player out of New Mexico JC, and Colorado Christian's Raya Schulz are tied for second at 2-under.
Monday's final round of the Southern Colorado Open will begin with a shotgun at 10 a.m. MT. Sumcad and O'Shaughnessy will start once again off the 18th tee.
Playing in her first competitive round in six months, Sumcad registered seven birdies on the day, and at 4-under-par, holds a two-stroke lead heading into Monday's second and final round.
"I came into this weekend with a little anxiety to be honest," said Sumcad who last played in late September's Ram Classic in Fort Collins before an injury derailed her fall season. "My main goal this weekend was to just have fun, relax, take my time and just enjoy the opportunity to play again. It turned out really well for me."
Sumcad spent the majority of the day in first place. After beginning her round with a pair of pars, she scored four-straight birdies between the second and fifth to jump to 4-under.
"I felt really relaxed, really slowed down," Sumcad said. "The pace was kind of slower today which helped and took my time, like a stroll, enjoying the weather which was actually really nice today."
She stayed even through the front nine before her lone hiccup of the day where she played the 10th and 11th at 3-over to drop down to 1-under. Following a par at the 12th, she strung together three more birdies from the 13th to 15th to get back to 4-under. Sumcad made par her last two holes to clinch her second career collegiate round in the 60s.
"I was striking it well today," Sumcad said. "My misses were very well contained. I was hitting a lot of fairways, just pretty straight golf 'fairway-green, fairway-green.' And my putting was good. I was giving myself a lot of 15-footers and just hitting it close, so there were a lot of opportunities there."
Sumcad was one of two Buffaloes playing as individuals in the 36-hole event hosted by CSU-Pueblo at the 6,000-yard Walking Stick course. Freshman Ellen O'Shaughnessy shot even 72 on Sunday and is tied with Anaya Bhandal of Simon Fraser for fifth, four shots back of Sumcad.
O'Shaughnessy had a strong start, opening with a birdie at the par-4 18th. She stayed toe-to-toe with Sumcad early, as birdies on the third and fifth moved her to 3-under through six. O'Shaughnessy fell back to even through 13 but stayed there with the help of birdies on a pair of par-5s at the 13th and 15th as she recorded her sixth round of par or better this season.
"My biggest goal for them is to gain the confidence to be able to one, win a tournament and two, they can make birdies and dow what we (as a coaching staff) set out for them to do," Colorado assistant coach Mia Landegren said. "I want them to know they can trust their game and they are good enough players to win tournaments and help the team out."
Sumcad was one of only four golfers in the 84-player field to shoot under par. Olivia Heard, the 21st ranked junior college player out of New Mexico JC, and Colorado Christian's Raya Schulz are tied for second at 2-under.
Monday's final round of the Southern Colorado Open will begin with a shotgun at 10 a.m. MT. Sumcad and O'Shaughnessy will start once again off the 18th tee.
| TOP 5 INDIVIDUALS | |||||
| Rank | Name | Score (To Par) | |||
| 1. | Francesca Sumcad, Colorado | 68 (-4) | |||
| T2. | Oliva Heard, New Mexico JC | 70 (-2) | |||
| T2. | Raya Schulz, Colorado Christian | 70 (-2) | |||
| 4. | Kenzie Schroeder, South Dakota Mines | 71 (-1) | |||
| T5. | Ellen O'Shaughnessy, Colorado | 72 (E) | |||
| T5. | Anaya Bhandal, Simon Fraser | 72 (E) | |||
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