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W-GOLF FINISHES 13TH AT BAY AREA CLASSIC
February 17, 2004 | Women's Golf
SAN JOSE, Calif. ? The women's golf team struggled with inclement weather, a first round postponement and a tight course, but rebounded a bit Tuesday to eventually wrap up their spring season opener with a 344-343-687 to finish 13th at the Bay Area Classic.
Darkness and downpours ended Monday's round prematurely, extending the first round into this morning, while Tuesday's second round delivered wind gusts that reached 60 to 70 miles per hour.
“The winds were blowing players (off their stands), balls off the greens and sand out of the bunkers. It was a pretty hard round of golf today,” said head coach Anne Kelly.
Both rounds are the program's highest since the 1996-97 season and the 36-hole total 687 is the fourth-highest two round total in program history and highest since the 1996 season.
“Everyone's scores were pretty high. It was pretty hard to play while your body was moving due to the high winds.”
Ninth ranked Washington secured a repeat of its 2001 Bay Area Classic title as the Huskies carded a tournament best 312-317-629 to finish a comfortable 15 strokes ahead of New Mexico State (644) and co-host San Francisco (650). San Jose State's Ashley Gomes overcame a first-round 80 that had her sitting in a share of 18th place to card the tournament's only par-72 Tuesday and take medalist honors with a two-round total 152. She edged Washington's Amber Prange (75-79-154), who had been sitting in first place heading into today's final loop. There was a three-way share for third.
With all but one Buff entering the tournament with strokes per averages hovering under 80, all five struggled on the par-72 layout as each carded career highs both days.
“I really thought that we were ready to go,” said Kelly. “Obviously not. The fairways were tight and the greens were difficult. Our short game wasn't very good, but then again, we haven't had much of a chance to work on that aspect of our game due to the weather back in Boulder.”
As she had done most of the fall season, sophomore Maria Persson Gulda battled the conditions and was CU's low score for the fifth straight tournament on the new 6,006-yard Golf Club at Boulder Ridge. She turned a first round season high 83, but was able to make up some ground Tuesday with a second round 79 to finish in a share for 12th place, the third highest finish of her career, with Hawaii's Sara Odelius with a 36-hole 162.
In a tie for 39th after a first round 85, senior Robin Worthington dropped to 41st after a second round 86 and total 171. Freshman Hannah Hoch, playing two hours from her hometown of Turlock, Calif., had hoped for a better homecoming, but had to settle for an 85-88-173, and a three-way share of 47th.
Kelly had to count Allison Rella's first round 91 and Jessie Malcolm's second round 90 toward the team score, a first since the 2002 season finale. Malcolm was able to shave a pair of strokes off in today's second round to finish her seventh career tournament in sole possession of 64th place with a 92-90-182 scorecard. Not being able to overcome the conditions, Rella (91-93-184) finished 65th.
The Buffs have two weeks to regroup before returning to the Bay Area to play in the San Jose State Invitational March 1-3 in Monterey, Calif. When asked what the Buffs would be spending their time on, Kelly responded, “It really depends on what the weather allows us to work on, but definitely our putters.”
BAY AREA CLASSIC (San Jose, Calif.)
1. Washington..................... 312-317 629
2. New Mexico State............ 320-324 644
3. San Francisco................. 315-335 650
4. Hawai'I............................ 332-322 654
5. San Jose State................ 321-334 655
6. Portland State................. 321-342 663
7. UC-Irvine......................... 331-341 672
8. Colorado State................. 334-340 674
9. Santa Clara..................... 329-346 675
10. Brigham Young................ 334-348 679
11. Cal State Northridge......... 339-345 684
12. Long Beach State............ 335-350 685
13. COLORADO.................... 344-343 687
14. Cal Poly SLO.................. 366-363 729
COLORADO PLAYERS
T12. Maria Persson Gulda........ 83-79 162
T41. Hannah Hoch................... 85-88 173
T47. Robin Worthington........... 85-86 171
64. Jessie Malcolm................ 92-90 182
65. Allison Rella.................... 91-93 184
