Feb. 10, 2017
SAN DIEGO -- The 32nd-ranked San Diego State women's golf team opens its 2017 spring schedule early next week when it makes the short drive north to the Los Angeles area to compete in the Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge, Feb. 12-14, at the par-71, 6,017-yard Palos Verdes Golf Club in Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.
The three-day, 54-hole tournament commences Sunday, with the Aztecs teeing off alongside Alabama, Arizona and UNLV on hole No. 1, beginning at 10:12 a.m. PT. Monday's second round is also slated to get underway with tee times as early as 9 a.m. PT, while an 8:30 a.m. PT shotgun start ushers in final-round action on Tuesday.
SDSU will face arguably its toughest field of the season, which features 12 schools among the top 30 in the latest Golfstat rankings, including No. 2 USC, No. 3 Alabama, No. 6 Florida, No. 7 UCLA, No. 14 Arizona State, No. 16 Northwestern, No. 18 Oklahoma State, No. 22 Duke, tournament host and No. 24 Ohio State, No. 25 Arizona, No. 27 Tennessee and No. 28 California. In addition, the Aztecs will battle Mountain West rival UNLV, while Pepperdine, Washington and three individuals from No. 11 Wake Forest round out the list of competitors.
With the Aztecs making their first-ever appearance in the 22nd annual event, head coach Leslie Spalding has penciled in the starting lineup of senior Sirene Blair (South Jordan, Utah), juniors Georgia Lacey (Del Mar, Calif.), Haleigh Krause (Eugene, Ore.) and Mila Chaves (Asuncion, Paraguay), along with freshman Fernanda Escauriza (Asuncion, Paraguay), who will be competing for the first time in a Scarlet and Black uniform after joining the squad during the semester break. Last September, Escauriza and Chaves were part of the Paraguayan delegation that played in the World Amateur Team Championships in Riviera Maya, Mexico.
Lacey was SDSU's top golfer in the fall finale at the Las Vegas Collegiate Showdown where she logged a 4-under-par 140 in a tournament that was shortened to 36 holes due to a lightning threat from passing thunderstorms. Coupled with her earlier second-place showing at the Stanford Intercollegiate, the Torrey Pines High alumna captured Mountain West Women's Golfer of the Month for October.
Lacey occupies the 55th spot in the initial Golfstat Cup standings of the spring, while Blair follows closely at No. 57. Similarly, a quick look at the latest Golfweek rankings finds Lacey in the 56th position, while Blair checks in at No. 63.
Blair leads the Aztecs with a 71.60 scoring average through four events this year, including a team-high six rounds below par. The three-time all-conference performer set a school record for lowest 18-hole score last September after shooting an 8-under 64 during the second round of the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational in Albuquerque, N.M., where finished a solo second with a program-best 13-under 203.
Not to be outdone, SDSU's fall slate was also highlighted by its second consecutive team title at the Golfweek Conference Challenge near Vail, Colo., holding off a final-round rally by host Denver with a combined nine birdies and one eagle after the turn. Individually, four of the five Aztec starters finished among the top 15, including senior Natalie Vivaldi (Oceanside, Calif.), who tied for fifth after carding a 2-under 214.
Washington will be looking to defending its team title at the Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge after posting a winning total of 6-over 858 last season, while Alabama (+12) and Florida (+17) took second and third, respectively. Arizona State's Monica Vaughn, who carded a 4-under 209 to claim medalist honors a year ago, will be seeking a repeat crown as well, while Lakareber Abe (T-4th) and Cheyenne Knight (T-8th) of Alabama, Julianne Alvarez of Washington (T-4th), Duke's Leona Maguire (T-8th), Karolina Vickova of Florida (T-10th) and UCLA's Bethany Wu (T-10th) are also among the top returning individuals.
Following the Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge, the Aztecs will have almost two weeks off from competition before returning to action for the annual Bruin Wave Invitational, Feb. 27-28, at San Luis Obispo Country Club.