Sept. 17, 2013
MINNEAPOLIS - The San Diego State women's golf team tied for fourth place in its season-opening tournament after carding a 304 on Tuesday during the final round of the Minnesota Invitational at The Minikahda Club. The Aztecs climbed two spots from the previous day, completing the 54-hole event with a combined 58-over par 922 to tie Georgia Regents (formerly Augusta State) on the par-72, 6,119-yard track.
Individually, SDSU was paced by freshman Sirene Blair (South Jordan, Utah) and sophomore Emma Henrikson (Malmö, Sweden), who both recorded top-10 finishes in the field of 63 golfers. Blair tied for the sixth position at 10-over 226, while Henrikson, the 2012-13 Mountain West Freshman of the Year, ended the tournament one shot behind after leaping five places into a tie for eighth at 11-over 227.
Despite five bogeys, Blair collected 12 pars after making birdie on her initial hole en route to a final-round 76, securing a top-10 performance in her first collegiate event, while Henrikson offset five bogeys of her own with a trio birdies to finish the day with a 74.
Meanwhile, Paige Spiranac (Scottsdale, Ariz.) made the biggest move for the Scarlet and Black on Tuesday, vaulting 15 places into sole possession of 29th after matching Henrikson's third-round low of 74. Despite a making a double-bogey on the par-3 3rd, the Aztec junior tallied 13 pars and added a pair of birdies to finish with a collective 20-over 236, one stroke in back of teammate Shannon Lubar (Littleton, Colo.), who tied for 27th at 235 after posting an 80 for the final 18 holes.
Elsewhere, senior Maureen Dunnagan (Lexington, S.C.) climbed five notches into a tie for 46th at 244 after equaling Lubar's 80 during the third round, while junior Kristina Lynn (Carlsbad, Calif.), who competed as an individual golfer, ended the tournament in a tie for 42nd at 241 after carding a final-round 83.
Kent State (+38) shot a tournament-low 294 on Tuesday to steal the team title away from second-round leader Illinois (+39), while host Minnesota (+47) landed in the third spot. KSU also boasted the individual winner, as the Golden Flashes' Jennifer Ha (-1) was the lone competitor to finish in red figures, while the Illinois tandem of Stephanie Miller (+6) and Ember Schuldt (+7) took second and third, respectively.
San Diego State resumes its fall schedule this weekend, Sept. 20-21, when it travels to Albuquerque, N.M., for the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational at the University of New Mexico Championship Course.
Minnesota InvitationalFinal ResultsThe Minikahda ClubMinneapolis, Minn.Par 72, 6,119 yards
Team Scores (Top 5 of 12 schools)1. Kent State 306-302-294--902 (+38)2. Illinois 300-303-300--903 (+39)3. Minnesota 309-299-303--911 (+47)T4. San Diego State 309-309-304--922 (+58)T4. GRU-Augusta 305-313-304--922 (+58)
Individual Leaders (Top 5 of 63 individuals + SDSU)1. Jennifer Ha, Kent State 76-71-68--215 (-1)2. Stephanie Miller, Illinois 76-72-74--222 (+6)3. Ember Schuldt, Illinois 75-74-74--223 (+7)T4. Lejan Lewthwaite, Texas State 80-72-72--224 (+8)T4. Josee Doyon, Kent State 76-76-72--224 (+8)-----T6. Sirene Blair, SDSU 73-77-76--226 (+10)T8. Emma Henrikson, SDSU 80-73-74--227 (+11)T27. Shannon Lubar, SDSU 75-80-80--235 (+19)29. Paige Spiranac, SDSU 83-79-74--236 (+20)T42. Kristina Lynn, SDSU* 77-81-83--241 (+25)T46. Maureen Dunnagan, SDSU 81-83-80--244 (+28)
*- competed as an individual