May 8, 2014
Day One Results in PDF Format | Live Results
CLE ELUM, Wash. - The San Diego State women's golf team is currently tied for 21st place after shooting a combined 29-over-par 317 on Thursday during the opening round of the 2014 NCAA West Regional Championships at Suncadia Resort.
The Aztecs, who are knotted with New Mexico State and Gonzaga, find themselves 17 shots behind seventh-place denizens Iowa State (+12) and UC Davis (+12) as the top eight squads and two low individuals not on those teams advance out of regional competition into the NCAA championship series, set for May 20-23 in Tulsa, Okla.
SDSU's lowest score of the day belonged to Emma Henrikson (Malmö, Sweden), who completed the first 18th holes in a massive logjam with 17 other players at the 45th position after carding a 4-over 76 on the par-72, 6,252-yard Tumble Creek Club layout. The Aztec sophomore drained three birdies, including an impressive make on the par-3, 150-yard No. 11, which played as the seventh-most difficult hole on the Thursday. However, five bogeys and a double-bogey on the par-5 eighth stymied her progress up the leaderboard.
Sirene Blair (South Jordan, Utah), who was making her NCAA debut, is the only other SDSU competitor among the top half of the 126-player field, landing in a tie for 62nd after posting an opening-round 77. The 2014 Mountain West Freshman of the Year played well in stretches, sinking birdies at Nos. 8 and 13 to go with eight pars overall. But seven bogeys, including four on her first five holes, proved too much to overcome.
The Aztecs' No. 3 player, Paige Spiranac (Scottsdale, Ariz.), also experienced difficulty on Thursday after completing the first 18 holes in a tie for the 93rd spot at 8-over 80. The SDSU junior got off to a sluggish start, opening with a double-bogey followed by three bogeys over her next four holes. Another double-bogey soon reared its head at No. 11, before Spiranac closed with a little momentum, notching four pars, two birdies and a bogey to creep within three shots of teammate Blair.
The Aztec starting lineup also included junior Kristina Lynn (Carlsbad, Calif.), who ended the day in a tie for 115th with an 84, one stroke in front of freshman Maria Fernanda Villegas (Ensenada, Mexico), who landed in a tie for 118th. Lynn posted the team's lone birdie of the 18th green, while Villegas' frustrating round was highlighted by a birdie of her own at No. 16.
Top-ranked USC (-4) owns a four-stroke advantage over host Washington (E) in the team standings, while Arizona State (+1), Texas A&M (+2), Michigan State (+3) and Oklahoma (+3) follow close behind. The Women of Troy also boast the individual leader in Kyung Kim (-8), who drained seven birdies, including five on her last six holes to open a three-shot margin over second-place dwellers Noemi Jimenez (-5) of ASU and Texas A&M's Marijosse Navarro (-5).
San Diego State will tee off once again with UC Davis and Denver for the second round of the NCAA West Regionals on Friday, beginning at 7:30 a.m. PT on the 10th hole.
2014 NCAA West Regional ChampionshipsgoSuncadia ResortTumble Creek ClubCle Elum, Wash.Par 72, 6,252 yardsRound One Results
Team Scores (Top 6 of 24 schools + SDSU)1. USC 284 (-4)2. Washington 288 (E)3. Arizona State 289 (+1)4. Texas A&M 290 (+2)T5. Michigan State 291 (+3)T5. Oklahoma 291 (+3)---T21. San Diego State 317 (+29)
Individual Scores (Top 7 of 126 players + SDSU)1. Kyung Kim, USC 66 (-6)T2. Noemi Jimenez, Arizona State 67 (-5)T2. Marijosse Navarro, Texas A&M 67 (-5)4. Clariss Guce, Cal State Northridge* 68 (-4)T5. SooBin Kim, Washington 70 (-2)T5. Liz Nagel, Michigan State 70 (-2)T5. Jennifer Yang, Washington 70 (-2)---T45. Emma Henrikson, SDSU 76 (+4)T62. Sirene Blair, SDSU 77 (+5)T93. Paige Spiranac, SDSU 80 (+8)T115. Kristina Lynn, SDSU 84 (+12)T118. Maria Fernanda Villegas, SDSU 85 (+13)
* - competing as an individual