Colorado University Athletics
Colorado
Round One
Lee, Buffs Win Stroke Play, Earn Top Seed In East & West Match Play Challenge
September 21, 2015 | Women's Golf
MADISON – Junior Esther Lee fired a school record 8-under par, 64 in the second round of the East & West Match Play Challenge on Sunday, earning medalist honors and helping the Buffaloes win the stroke play portion to earn the No. 1 seed for the tournament at University Ridge Golf Course.
The tournament is similar to the format of the NCAA Championships, which combines 36 holes of stroke play to determine the team seedings for two days of match play in the championship and consolation brackets. The University of Wisconsin is hosting the tournament on the par-72, 6,219 yard course.
The Buffs recorded a 292-277—569 or 11-under par scorecard as a group, which ranks as the third lowest team score in program history and their 277 in the second round matched for the lowest 18 hole score all-time. Colorado ran away from the field, winning the stroke play portion by 15 strokes as Michigan earned the No. 2 seed at 8-over par. Oregon finished at 11-over par and will be the third seed while Indiana rounds out the championship bracket as the No. 4 seed, shooting 14-over par.
“We really got it going as a team this afternoon and it was a lot of fun to watch everyone do so well,” said Colorado head coach Anne Kelly. “The first round was up and down, but it was really nice to see it come together as a group in the second round. We were obviously disappointed with the way the season started in Minnesota so it was nice to see us play a lot better today.”
Lee surged up the leaderboard in the second round, moving nine places to claim the top spot and the second win of her career after posting a 73-64—137 or 7-under par over the 36 holes. After the first 18 holes, Lee was tied for 10th at 1-over par. She was 3-over through nine holes, but moved to 1-over when she drained the lone eagle on the par-4, No. 15. Three holes later she had a double-bogey to drop back to 3-over, but had a strong finish with back-to-back birdies to put her at 1-over. In the record-breaking second round, Lee played bogey-free golf, with eight birdies, setting a school record for most in one round and 10 pars. She shot 33 on the front side and carded a 31 on the back, tying a school record.
“I struggled more in the first round, which was a little bit frustrating,” said Lee. “But then everything then just fell into place in the second round, especially when I was able to finish the first round with a couple birdies. I'm really happy that everyone played well this afternoon. I feel really good about going into match play tomorrow.”
Senior Alexis Keating shot 71-69—140 or 4-under par and finished stroke play in third place. Keating combined to tally nine birdies over the 36 holes. She completed the first round at 1-under and then posted 3-under her second time through. She started with a bogey and was 1-over, but immediately got back to 1-under with a birdie-par-birdie on the next three holes. Keating had five straight pars then two straight birdies to get to 3-under. A bogey on her 14th hole put her at 2-under, but she again responded with a birdie on the second to last hole.
Sophomore Brittany Fan posted a 1-over par 73-72—145 and finished tied for ninth overall. She carded a 1-over in the first round and then shot even-par in the second. Fan started each round on hole No. 8 and played the back side at 1-over par her second time on the course, going bogey-bogey-birdie on Nos. 16-18 and completed the front at 1-under with seven pars and one birdie.
Junior Natalie Vivaldi improved her second round by three strokes and carded a 75-72—147 or 3-over par. She was 3-over heading into the last 18 holes where she shot even-par. Vivaldi had a tough start with a double-bogey on No. 9, but rebounded nicely, reeling off four straight pars and then three consecutive birdies to get to 1-under par. She ran into a little more trouble five holes later with bogeying back-to-back holes, but again bounced back to finish with three pars and a birdie on the final hole. Vivaldi finished 15th overall.
Senior Allie Zech wrapped up stroke play at 10-over par (78-76—154) and tied for 37th place. She also improved in the second round, playing two strokes better than her first 18 holes. Zech was 5-over par heading into her final hole of the day, but had a nice finishing, draining her only birdie to get to 4-over.
Freshman Gillian Vance made her Colorado debut and played as an individual. Her scorecard did not count toward the overall team score. She finished tied for 40th place at 11-over par (81-74—155). She recorded two birdies in the second round and was seven strokes better than her first time playing the course.
Michigan's Grace Choi earned a second place finish at 5-under par, two strokes behind Lee and one stroke ahead of third place finisher, Keating. Paige Lee from UC Davis and Megan Kim of Michigan both tied for fourth overall at 2-under par.
The tournament continues on Monday with the match play portion. The Buffs will face No. 4 seed Indiana.
|
BUFFALO INDIVIDUALS |
||
|
Rank |
Name |
Score |
|
1. |
73-64—137 |
|
|
3. |
71-69—140 |
|
|
T9. |
73-72—145 |
|
|
14. |
75-72—147 |
|
|
T37. |
78-76—154 |
|
|
T40. |
81-74—155 |
|
|
TOP 5 INDIVIDUALS |
||
|
Rank |
Name |
Score |
|
1. |
Esther Lee, Colorado |
73-64—137 |
|
2. |
Grace Choi, Michigan |
72-67—139 |
|
3. |
Alexis Keating, Colorado |
71-69—140 |
|
T4. |
Megan Kim, Michigan |
66-76—142 |
|
T4. |
Paige Lee, UC Davis |
73-69—142 |
|
TEAM SCORES |
||
|
Rank |
Team |
Score |
|
1. |
COLORADO |
292-277—569 |
|
2. |
Michigan |
284-300—584 |
|
3. |
Oregon |
295-292—587 |
|
4. |
Indiana |
292-298—590 |
|
T5. |
UC Davis |
304-291—595 |
|
T5. |
Wisconsin |
296-299—595 |
|
7. |
SMU |
306-291—597 |
|
8. |
Penn State |
305-299—604 |
