FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Vani Karimanal (70-68 - 138, -6) is one of four players tied for the lead after the conclusion of 36 holes Monday at the Ben Connell Ram Classic, while her Aggie teammate Nina Choe (73-67 - 140, -4) played her final 10 holes in eight-under par to move into a tie for sixth. UC Davis (285-286 - 571, -5) led the event hosted by Colorado State as a team after the opening round before setting for third after two trips around the Ptarmigan Country Club seven strokes behind second-round leader UNLV (286-278 - 564, -12) and one in back of Washington (291-279 - 570, -6) heading into Tuesday's final 18 holes.
Karimanal's two-under par first-round 70 had her in a tie for fourth place and within striking distance of the top two shots off the lead after the opening round but it was four consecutive birdies early in her second round that has put her in serious contention for the first collegiate victory of her career. After starting her second round with a bogey on her first hole on the par-four ninth, Karminal made four straight birdies on holes 10-13. She gave one stroke back with a bogey on the par-four 17th but would add three more birdies over her next six holes (18, 2, 5) before giving another stroke back with a bogey on the par-four seventh.
Choe is just two shots behind Karimanal and three others sharing the lead after two rounds. Choe's second-round five-under par 67 was tied for the third-best round of the day among the 76 players in the event. Choe, who started on the eighth hole, was three-over through the first eight holes of her second round but chipped in for an eagle on the par-five 16th and went on to play her final 10 holes in eight-under par, adding birdies on 17, 18, 1, 2, 4 and 5.
Michelle Ho (69-74 - 143, -1) is tied for 14th after 36 holes and led for much of the opening round. Ho was four-under par with four birdies over her first 10 holes then came back a stroke with two bogeys and one birdie over her final eight. Ho was three-over through seven holes of her second round but got a stroke back by playing her final 11 holes in one under.
Gabriella Ilardi (73-78 - 151, +7) and Wendi Ma (76-77 - 153, +9) are also in the Aggies' lineup and tied for 54th and 65th, respectively, while Claire Chang (75-77 - 152, +8) is competing as an individual and tied for 65th.
Action will conclude Tuesday with the final round shotgun start beginning at 7:45 a.m. The Aggies will play in the same groups as UNLV and Washington with Karimanal's threesome beginning on the first tee including fellow leaders Hannah Ounap (70-68 - 136, -6) of Washington and Kuree Little (71-67 - 138) of UNLV.
"It's anyone's game tomorrow, which is kind of exciting", head coach Amelia Hicks said. "Hopefully, we're able to bring both individual and team wins home tomorrow."
The Ben Connell Ram Classic is the second of four events on the Aggies' fall schedule that began with a seventh-place showing at the Leadership and Golf Invitational co-hosted by Seattle and Washington (Sept. 14-15) and also includes the Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational hosted by Kansas (Oct. 5-6) and the Stanford Intercollegiate hosted by Stanford (Oct. 16-18).
LEADERSHIP AND GOLF INVITATIONAL - MONDAY-TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21-22, 2026
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