In just the second tournament of her collegiate career, Blinn College freshman golfer Rattanavarin “Pai” Tassaneetipagorn earned a first-place finish and helped lead the Buccaneers’ women’s golf team to a second-place showing Tuesday at the Tempest Invitational in Tyler, Texas.
Tassaneetipagorn finished 17-over par for the two-day, 32-golfer tournament, outlasting her own teammate – sophomore Emily Madeley – for the crown. Madeley shot 20-over to take second.
Tyler Junior College, the host of the six-team tournament, won the team title.
“What a great accomplishment for Pai to win in her second collegiate tournament start,” Blinn head coach David Johnson said. “(Assistant) coach Gary Belt and I could see she had lots of talent. We thought it might take a while for her to get it going, but it is a good thing we were wrong on that one. As a whole we had a very good finish. We just need to continue to play better golf from top to bottom and I believe we will be a very good team.”
Johnson also shared high praise for Madeley, who has kicked off her spring season with two finishes in the top six.
“She’s getting more and more attention from four-year schools with each tournament she plays,” the coach said. “We’re really excited for her and what she’s doing on the course right now.”
Finishing inside the top 20 for Blinn were sophomores Kimberly Tiefenbach (14th place) and Natalie Peebles (17th).
On the men’s side of the tournament, the Buccaneers placed third among six teams. The Apaches also claimed the men’s team title.
Among the 40 golfers, Blinn sophomore Herman Holst paced his team with a tie for eighth place. He finished 9-over par. Sophomore McKane Kiser tied for 11th at 10-over; sophomore Jacob Holloway finished 11-over to tie for 14th; and freshman Preston DeSerrano rounded out the Bucs’ top-20 finishes at 12-over for a three-way tie for 17th.
(Pictured: Blinn sophomore Herman Holst)
“We really struggled with our consistency,” Johnson said. “I think our guys are pressing a little bit in an attempt to make things happen, but things usually don’t end well when you do that. We’re confident that they’re going to bounce back and get things going in the right direction.”
Up next for Blinn men’s and women’s golf is the two-day Hal Sutton Invitational beginning on Monday, March 18, in Bossier City, La.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 45 NJCAA national championships since 1987.
