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May 8, 2010
On a day more suited for hockey than golf, the 20th-ranked New Mexico Lobos heated up at the right time at the NCAA Central Regional in Columbus, Ind., to clinch their 15th trip to the NCAA Women’s Golf Championships. A strong finish today pushed UNM into the 24-team championships field May 18-21 in Wilmington, N.C.
Needing to place in the top eight to qualify for nationals, UNM finished fourth with a 54-hole total of 936 (306-318-312). It’s the Lobos’ highest regional finish since the format began in 1993.
Playing with a wind chill hovering in the 30s, the Lobos got off to a horrendous start. After four holes, UNM was 10-over on its round. The number increased to 15-over after seven holes as New Mexico sunk to last place among the top-12 teams entering Saturday’s final round. UNM started the round in sixth place.
The final 11 holes, however, was a different story as UNM navigated the long, challenging Otter Creek Golf Club (par 72, 6,417 yards) in just 9-over.
“I couldn’t be happier for the way we overcame a very, slow start,” said head coach Jill Trujillo, who has led the Lobos to three NCAA Championships appearances in the past four seasons. “It was a total team effort.”
Southern Cal won the 54-hole event at 907 followed by Arizona State at 915.
Advancing with UNM out of the Central Regional to the NCAA Championships are Southern Cal, Arizona State, Purdue, Oklahoma State, Florida State, Oregon and Kent State.
Top-25 teams that failed to qualify are No. 10 Michigan State, No. 14 Georgia and No. 16 Denver.
Senior Jodi Ewart shot 79, tying for her second-highest score in 123 rounds as a Lobo. Like the rest of the team, Ewart started slowly, going out in 41 and she was sitting at 6-over-par after 10 holes. She birdied 3 and 5, but came home with three straight bogeys. Ewart finished at 228 (72-77-79) and in a tie for eighth place.
What helped New Mexico today was the tremendous amount of assistance Ewart received from her teammates. In fact, three Lobos had better scores than Ewart, the four-time Mountain West Conference Player of the Year.
Sophomore Rebecca Hellbom had UNM’s low round of the day – a 77 – to finish at 235 (78-80-77) and in a tie for 31st. Hellbom was 4-over after a bogey at No. 15, but lost just one more shot over the final 12 holes.
Sophomore Sarah Salvo maybe had the best performance of her career considering the conditions. UNM’s No. 5 golfer with a 77.50 season stroke average coming into the tournament, Salvo had five bogeys in the first seven holes today. However, she covered the final 11 holes in 1-over to finish with a 78 and a 54-hole total of 236 (78-80-78), good for a 35th place tie.
Senior Britney Choy also shot 78 today to close at 237 (78-81-78) while freshman Bethany Buchner finished at 255 (80-87-88).
Kent State’s Martina Gavier, ranked 88th in the nation, was the surprise medalist at 3-over 219, two shots better than USC’s Lizette Salas.