Sept. 27, 2003
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. –
The New Mexico women’s golf team became the first school to claim three straight Dick McGuire Invitational titles after shooting a course-record five-under 295-281-295-871 for the three-day tournament, which concluded Saturday afternoon (Sept. 27) at the UNM Championship Golf Course. Junior Kailin Downs (Bend, Ore.) tied the 54-hole record with a score of 70-68-74-212 (-7) en route to claiming her first career individual championship.
UNM, which led the entire tournament, bested second-place Oklahoma State by 16 strokes (300-285-302-887) to win its fourth Dick McGuire Invitational in school history. Tulsa took third with a score of 310-288-304-902.
Downs was tied with Karin Sjodin of Oklahoma State after 15 holes, but Downs birded the par-4 16th hole to take the lead. Downs scored a par on the final two remaining holes while Sjodin collected a double-bogey on the par-5 18th to end her title chances.
All five Lobo starters finished in the top 20. Junior Shannon Johnson (Sioux Falls, S.D.) shot a two-under 71 in the final round, the best score of the day, to place a career-high fifth for the invitational (75-72-71-218). Freshman Ashley Rollins (Austin, Texas) placed seventh with a score of 74-73-73-220 (+1) and senior Katrina Leckovic (Burnaby, British Columbia) tied for ninth with a score of 76-69-77-222 (+3). Sophomore Christine Fernandez (Henderson, Nev.) tied for 20th place (77-72-77-226).
Junior Christina Spence (Port Alberni, British Columbia), who competed as an individual, took eighth place with a 74-74-73-221 (+2). Two other Lobos competed as individuals: senior Kellyn Newman (T57th, 80-78-81-239) and sophomore Kelli Van Winkle (T85th, 87-71-92-250).
New Mexico returns to action Oct. 17-19 at the Stanford/Pepsi Women’s Intercollegiate in Palo Alto, Calif.
TEAMS:
1. New Mexico – 295-281-295-871* (-7)
2. Oklahoma State – 300-285-302-887 (+11)
3. Tulsa – 310-288-304-902 (+26)
4. Pepperdine – 306-289-314-909 (+33)
5. BYU – 309-303-311-923 (+47)
6. Texas A&M – 310-303-313-926 (+50)
T7. Texas Tech – 313-298-316-927 (+51)
T7. UNLV – 307-306-314-927 (+51)
T7. New Mexico State – 310-309-308-927 (+51)
T7. TCU – 310-305-312-927 (+51)
11. San Diego State – 314-306-310-930 (+54)
12. Baylor – 310-302-323-935 (+59)
13. UTEP – 313-299-326-938 (+62)
14. Arizona State – 309-308-322-939 (+63)
15. Hawaii – 323-303-326-952 (+76)
16. Colorado State – 321-308-331-960 (+84)
17. Wyoming – 340-328-336-1004 (+128)
TOP INDIVIDUALS:
1. Kailin Downs (New Mexico) – 70-68-74-212* (-7)
2. Karin Sjodin (Oklahoma State) – 71-67-77-215 (-4)
3. Carolina Llano (Pepperdine) – 73-67-76-216 (-3)
4. Suzie Fisher (Tulsa) – 78-66*-73-217 (-2)
5. Shannon Johnson (New Mexico) – 75-72-72-218 (-1)
NEW MEXICO:
1. Kailin Downs – 70-68-74-212* (-7
5. Shannon Johnson – 75-72-72-218 (-1)
7. Ashley Rollins – 74-73-73-220 (+1)
8. Christina Spence (Individual) – 74-74-73-221 (+2)
T9. Katrina Leckovic – 76-69-77-222 (+3)
T20. Christine Fernandez – 77-72-77-226 (+7)
T57. Kellyn Newman (Individual) – 80-78-81-239 (+20)
T85. Kelli Van Winkle (Individual) – 87-71-92-250 (+31)
* Denotes new course record