New Mexico Lobos Women’s Golf — Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational
Top Three Teams: 1- Northwestern 290-289-289–868. 2- UNLV 289-294-293–876. 3- UC Davis 292-298-292–882.
Top Individuals: 1- Dana Finkelstein, UNLV, 68-72-70—210. 2- Suc Tangkamolprasert, Northwestern, 70-69-74—213. 3- Hannah Kim, Northwestern, 74-69-71—214. 3- Sirene Blair, San Diego St, 72-72-70—214. 3- Julie Yang, Oklahoma State, 74-69-71—214.
Albuquerque, N.M. – At the conclusion of the 2014 Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational, Lobo Coach Jill Trujillo said her Lobos “have a few things to work on.”
One thing they need to work on comes from time on the course and time in collegiate golf. Trujillo takes to the golf course in 2014-15 with one of the younger rosters in the nation and maybe that youth had a few first-tournament jitters and bogeys.
“There is some pressure that comes with your first college tournament,” said Trujillo. “But they are all well-versed in tournament play. Still, college is different. You might be the best player in your town or state or age group, but everyone is good in college. You have to make the adjustments, work hard, and go for it.”
Northwestern won the team title Tuesday at the 54-hole Branch /McGuire Invitational with a comfortable eight-shot win over UNLV of the Mountain West. Northwestern shot an 868 team total with UNLV the tourney runner-up at 876. UC Davis was third with a three-round total of 882 and Pepperdine, the 2013 champions, had to settle for fourth place at 883.
The New Mexico Lobos, playing without their No. 1 player Manon Molle, finished 15th in the 16-team field.
A familiar New Mexico nemesis – Dana Finkelstein of UNLV – captured the individual title by three shots over Suc Tangkamolprasert of Northwestern. Northwestern’s Hannah Kim helped her team to the title by finished tied for third place at 214 with San Diego State’s Sirene Blair and Oklahoma State’s Julie Yang.
“That girl can play,” said Trujillo said of Finkelstein, who in past seasons often was locked in a battle with former Lobo Sammi Stevens.
There were no Lobos up for a charge at Finkelstein Monday or Tuesday at the UNM Championship Course, but Trujillo was pleased with the play of several of her young golfers.
Lobo freshman Ingrid Gutierrez was New Mexico’s top finisher with a card of 76-76-75—227 which dropped her into a tie for 39th. Freshman Alexandra Moisand tied for 50th at 75-80-74—229. Sophomore Eva Saulnier had an impressive nine-hole card of 34 on Tuesday
Trujillo said a key for her young team in 2014-15 was getting solid cards from the fourth and fifth players on the five-person team. The Lobos had to count a 79 on Tuesday, but still had their best 18 holes of the three-round tournament at 302. UNM also had a 307 on the first 18 on Monday. They carded a 319 on the second 18 holes also played on Monday.
“I was pleased except for our second round which killed us,” said Trujillo. “We had great play today (Tuesday) from Eva Saulnier and Alexandra Moisand. Ingrid Gutierrez was solid most of the tournament. We had a few too many bogeys late from a couple of players.
“But we are looking to the future and we know that this is going to be a team that will be really strong in the future. They are all such fighters.”
The Championship Course was hit hard on Monday by hail and heavy rain and although there were some soft spots on Tuesday, the course was in good shape.
“Our course staff did an incredible job getting the course ready with all the flooding we had,” said Trujillo. “They made the course look really good and it was very playable.”