RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – The Aztec women's golf team finished the Mountain West Championships Thursday in Rancho Mirage, Calif. SDSU improved their team score by 10 strokes from the day prior and tied for eighth.
SDSU was led by senior Bernice Olivarez Ilas, who shot an even-par 72 in the final round to tie for 17th place with a 220. Olivarez Ilas collected four birdies, one on the front and one on the back nine. She has shot a 73 or better in five of her last six rounds.
Anika Sato also shot a 72 Thursday and finished just one stroke behind Olivarez Ilas. Her 221 (70-79-72) put her in a tie for 21st place. She was three-under-par on the front nine with three birdies and six pars. Sato finished the tournament tied for the best score on pars threes (2.92).
Sammy Lee and April Ranches tied for 37th place with a 230. Lee had her best round of the tournament Thursday, finishing with a 75 (+3) aided by 14 pars, including eight on the front nine.
Ranches shot a 77 (+5) Thursday and was two-under-par through 10 holes before running into trouble on holes 11-15. She then bounced back to par the final three holes.
Andrea Gomez finished one stroke behind Lee and Ranches after shooting a 78 (+6) Thursday.
New Mexico came back to win the championship after beating No. 8 San Jose State by eight strokes on Thursday.
The Lobos' Napat Lertsadwattana won the individual title with a seven-under-par 219.
UP NEXT
The Aztecs will wait to see if they qualify for the NCAA Regionals, either individually or as a team.
THE NOTE
This was Bernice Olivarez Ilas' fifth top 20 finish.
Mountain West Championships – Complete Results
Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club – Par 72, 6,252 yards
Team Scores (Top Five & SDSU) – Out of 9 Teams
1. New Mexico… 853 (285-288-280, -11)
1. No. 8 San Jose State… 858 (286-283-289, -6)
3. Colorado State … 861 (294-284-283, -3)
4. Nevada… 876 (289-294-293, +12)
5. UNLV… 877 (294-292-291, +13)
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T-8. San Diego State… 897 (295-306-296, +33)
Individual Scores (Top Five & SDSU) – Out of 45 Golfers
1. Napat Lertsadwattana (New Mexico)… 219 (68-68-73, -7)
2. No. 22 Kajsa Arwefjall (SJSU)… 211 (70--7170, -5)
T-3. Sofia Torres… (Colorado St.)… 212 (74-71-67, -4)
T-3. Harriet Lynch (Fresno St.)… 212 (73-71-68, -4)
T-3. Lacey Uchida (Colorado St.)… 211 (72-67-73, -4)
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T-17. Bernice Olivarez Ilas (SDSU)… 220 (73-75-72, +4)
T-21. Anika Sato (SDSU)… 221 (70-79-72, +5)
T-37. Sammy Lee (SDSU)… 230 (78-77-75, +14)
T-37. April Ranches (SDSU)… 230 (77-76-77, +14)
39. Andrea Gomez (SDSU)… 231 (75-78-78, +15)