April 5, 2006
Neither the 26th-ranked University of New Mexico women’s golf team or freshman Mikaela Backstedt could hang on to their respective leads in the final round of the BYU Dixie Classic in St. George, Utah. Entering the day with an 11-shot lead over No. 10 UNLV, the Lobos struggled to a 40-over 328 and finished third in the 19-team field.
The Lady Rebels of UNLV won the team title at 924, clipping host BYU by three shots and the Lobos by 10. UNM had a three-round total of 934 on the par-72 Entrada at Snow Canyon course that will play host to the Mountain West Conference Championships later this month.
UNM’s five competitors averaged 42 on the back nine, and were a collective 27-over-par on the final five holes. Holes 14 and 15 were not kind to the Lobos as they combined to lose a decisive 12 shots.
Backstedt, who led the individual competition by two shots after two rounds, was clinging to a one-shot lead through 11 holes before disaster struck. She dropped seven strokes over the next four holes – and 10 on the final seven – to finish with a 13-over 85, her worst score by seven strokes in 24 rounds at UNM. Backstedt ended in a tie for fourth place overall at 13-over 229.
UNLV’s Seema Sadekar grabbed the individual title at 7-over 223.
Lobo freshman Py Bengtsson tied for 17th at 236 after shooting 79, the Lobos’ low score of the day. Sophomore Giselle Claus finished at 237, tying for 19th. Freshman Morgan Grantham and sophomore Alexandra Phelps were in a seven-way tie for 23rd at 239.
New Mexico is off for two weeks before traveling back to St. George for the MWC Championships April 20-22.