Women win, men struggle in golf events
USC’s women’s golf team outplayed the competition and took home first place at the Windy City Collegiate Championship yesterday. The team, which was coming off of a sixth-place finish at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate, had a combined final score of 12-over 876 (294-287-295). Northwestern, Iowa State, Arizona and Oklahoma State rounded out the top five, respectively.
Amazing Annie · Junior golfer Annie Park came out on top at the Windy City Collegiate Championship yesterday with a 5-under 211. – Photo courtesy of USC Sports Information
The Woman of Troy enjoyed a successful first day of competition at the Windy City Collegiate Championship. The team was led by junior Annie Park, who returned to the team this week, after qualifying for the final round of the LPGA “Q” school. The team had a six-stroke lead after the first day with a score of 5-over 581 (294-287). Northwestern and Oklahoma State rounded out the top three teams. Park finished the day at 2-under 142 (73-69) which put her in fourth place in her first competitive day of the year.
Senior Doris Chen tied for sixth and sophomore Karen Chung tied for ninth. Chen had five birdies in the first two rounds while Chung had five birdies in the second round, enough to help her recover from her first 18 holes. Other results from the first two rounds included sophomore Gabriella Then tying for 26th, sophomore transfer Elizabeth Doty tying for 37th and junior Victoria Morgan tying for 66th.
On Tuesday, Park led her team and finished atop the individual leaderboard with a final score of 5-under 211 (73-69-69).
“It was really fun to be back around the team after being gone for the previous tournament,” Park said. “Collectively, we had a good plan to attack this really difficult golf course and I’m very pleased with the way we played both days.”
Chen had another successful outing on Tuesday as well, finishing in a tie for fourth with an even score of 216 (71-73-72). Sophomore Karen Chung struggled after an impressive first day and fell to a tie for 19th in the individual rankings with a score of 6-over 222 (75-70-77). Junior Victoria Morgan made a jump in the rankings and finished in a tie for 54th with a score of 26-over 232 (78-80-74). Other results from the tournament included Then tying for 37th at 12-over 228 (75-70-77) and sophomore transfer Elizabeth Doty tying for 41st at 13-over 229 (75-77-77).
“Thankfully we were able to pull out the win,” said women’s head coach Andrea Gaston. “Annie [Park] had a really strong back 9 that helped lead the team to the title, and Doris [Chen] hung in there with a top 4 finish. The Windy City lived up to its name.”
The men’s team struggled on the first day of competition at the Nike Golf Collegiate. The team finished the first day in seventh place with a 22-over 582 (293-289) putting them 14 strokes behind first place Oregon. Washington and Texas were second and third after the first day. Freshman Sean Crocker tied for seventh with a combined score of 1-over 141 (73-68), which led his team after the first day of competition.
Sophomore Rico Hoey overcame his six bogeys with four birdies to finish the day in a tie for 10th at 3-over 143 (72-71). Other results from the first day included senior Eric Sugimoto tied for 28th at 8-over 148 (74-74) and both junior Bobby Gojuangco and freshman Jonah Teixeira tied for 43rd at 11-over 151.
The Trojans improved from their first day of competition by moving up a placement and finishing in sixth place in the inaugural Nike Golf Collegiate. The team finished with a combined score of 32-over 872 (293-289-290). Oregon finished in first place with a final score of 11-over 851. Stanford, Oklahoma, Washington and Texas rounded out the top five.
Crocker climbed the player leaderboard on Tuesday and finished in fourth place with a final score of 2-under 208 (73-68-67).
“We were extremely fortunate to play a famous PGA Tour course this week, Colonial Country Club. It was a true test and we had one player in particular meet the challenge in freshman Sean Crocker,” said men’s head coach Chris Zambri. “He played beautifully all three rounds.”
Hoey had a rough final day of the tournament and dropped 12 spots in the standings and finished with a 10-over 220. Sugimoto finished in a tie for 29th with a final score of 12-over 222. Other results from the day included Gojuangco by finishing in a tie for 43rd at 15-over 225 and Texeira finished in a tie for 46th at 16-over 226.
The Women of Troy will head up to Palo Alto, California, for the Stanford Intercollegiate from Oct. 17-19. Next up for the men’s team is the Bill Cullum Invitational in Simi Valley, California, from Oct. 20-21.