AMES—Lydia Grond (sophomore, Hull, Boyden-Hull HS) accelerated her well-timed surge as the Central College women's golf team recorded two eagles and expanded its lead to 22 shots at the 54-hole American Rivers Championships Sunday.
           
Grond, who carried a 91.0 stroke average as a junior varsity player last fall, posted her second consecutive career-best score and is the new tournament leader with 78-74—152 after 36 holes at the par-71 Ames Golf and Country Club.
           
Grond had three birdies on the back nine but was 3-over-par on the last two holes.
           
"She had a day, for sure," said men's golf coach Mel Blasi who is filling in for coach Tabitha Schumacher, who gave birth to a daughter early Saturday morning. "She easily could have been even par but she protected herself against making a big number."
           
Central fired a 305 Sunday, the lowest score posted by a league school since the tournament was moved to Ames in 2019. The Dutch are at 317-305—622 while the University of Dubuque is second at 321-323—644, Wartburg College is third at 324-345—669 and Coe College is fourth at 348-336—684.
           
The Dutch have four players in the top-10. Delaney Underwood (senior, Mitchellville, Colfax-Mingo HS) moved into a tie for second at 78-76—154 while first-round leader Thea Lunning (senior, Mason City) slipped to fourth at 76-80--156. Mackenzie Biggs (junior, Bloomington, Ill., Normal HS) leaped eight spots to a tie for eighth at 85-76--161 and Madison Clark (senior, Bloomington, Ill., Central Catholic HS) climbed 14 spots to a tie for 15th at 90-79--169.
           
"We had five good scores," Blasi said.
           
Biggs eagled the 355-yard par-4 16th hole, as she holed out from 155 yards. Meanwhile, Clark eagled the 455-yard par-5 13th hole, hitting a hybrid to within 4 feet of the pin on her second shot and then sinking the putt.
           
"We really had a great back nine and that was the difference from yesterday," Blasi said. "We kind of struggled coming in yesterday and today they really finished it off nicely."
           
Central is bidding for its first league crown since 2018. The Dutch have won 10 conference titles overall. With the title comes an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Championships set for May 9-12 at the Mission Inn Resort and Club at Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida.
           
But Blasi said Central's approach should not change in Monday's final round.
           
"Yesterday when we finished, I said, 'Let's just win the one-day tournament all three days and just wipe the slate clean each day,'" he said. "'Tomorrow's a whole new tournament and a whole new day and you just come out and play aggressive like you did today.'"