Sept. 9, 2014
FORT COLLINS, Colo. - Buoyed by the 1-2 individual finishes of Emma Henrikson (Malmö, Sweden) and Sirene Blair (South Jordan, Utah), respectively, the San Diego State women's golf squad captured the team title on Tuesday at the Colonel Bill Wollenberg Ptarmigan Ram Classic. Battling intermittent rain showers, the Aztecs shot a final-round 293 for a 54-hole total of 6-over 870 to win by eight strokes over Mountain West rival UNLV (+14) at the par-72, 6,352-yard Ptarmigan Country Club.
Henrikson claimed medalist honors for the first time in her collegiate career, completing the tournament with a triumphant score of 5-under 211 after shooting a final-round 72. The SDSU junior offset three bogeys with three birdies on the front nine before reeling off nine straight pars to overtake her Aztec teammate down the stretch.
Conversely, Blair seemed poised to capture her second victory in a Scarlet and Black uniform after maintaining a slim one-stroke advantage over Henrikson through No. 14. However, the 2014 MW Freshman of the Year experienced a rocky finish, notching three bogeys over her final four holes for a final-round 73. Despite the hiccup, Blair still managed her fifth career top-10 performance with a combined 4-under 212, holding off a trio of golfers for the runner-up spot, including Alexis Keating of Colorado (-3), Gonzaga's Raychelle Santos (-3) and Madchen Ly of Fresno State (-1).
SDSU's fortunes also received a huge boost from Paige Spiranac (Scottsdale, Ariz.), who rebounded from a pair of inconsistent rounds on the opening day to card the Aztecs' low score on Tuesday with a 71. Despite making bogey on the par-5 18th, the SDSU senior finished strong with four pars and two birdies over her final seven holes to climb 21 places into a tie for 46th at 13-over 229.
In addition, Mila Chaves (Asuncion, Paraguay) figured in the team's winning total after firing a 77 during the final round. The Aztec freshman was just 1-over for the day, until suffering a rough stretch of three bogeys and a double-bogey on the back nine. Still, Chaves sank a birdie putt on her finishing hole, the par-4, 389-yard No. 1 to complete her first collegiate event in a tie for 37th at 11-over 227.
The SDSU contingent also included another freshman, Georgia Lacey (Del Mar, Calif.), who tied for the 57th spot at 17-over 233 after posting a 78 on Tuesday.
San Diego State, which has now won a tournament title in five of the last six years, will look to keep the momentum going next week when it returns to the course for the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational, Sept. 15-16, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Ptarmigan Ram ClassicFinal ResultsPtarmigan Country ClubFort Collins, Colo.Par 72, 6,352 yards
Team Scores (Top 5 of 17 schools)1. San Diego State 289-288-293--870 (+6)2. UNLV 292-297-289--878 (+14)T3. Colorado 294-292-295--881 (+17)T3. Illinois 297-289-295--881 (+17)5. Gonzaga 296-294-292--882 (+18)
Individual Leaders (Top 5 of 90 individuals + SDSU)T1. Emma Henrikson, SDSU 72-67-72--211 (-5)2. Sirene Blair, SDSU 70-69-73--212 (-4)T3. Alexis Keating, Colorado 70-72-71--213 (-3)T3. Raychelle Santos, Gonzaga 70-70-73--213 (-3)5. Madchen Ly, Fresno State 72-71-71--215 (-1)-----T37. Mila Chaves, SDSU 75-75-77--227 (+11)T46. Paige Spiranac, SDSU 81-77-71--229 (+13)T57. Georgia Lacey, SDSU 72-83-78--233 (+17)