New Mexico Lobos Women’s Golf — at Bruin Wave Invitational
Top Four Teams: 1- Washington 294-293-303=890; 2- UCLA 296-309-294=899; 3- Oklahoma State 299-308-294=901; 4- San Diego State 303-301-305=909. 14- New Mexico 311-322-325=958.
Top Five Individuals: 1- Erynne Lee, UCLA, 73-73-70=216; 2- Anica Yoo, Oregon State, 74-71-76=221; 2- Sirene Blair, San Diego State, 73-75-73=221. 4- Bronte Law, UCLA, 70-77-75=222.
Lobo Cards: Manon Mollé 76-79-82=237 (T49); Eva Saulnier 76-82-80=238 (T53); Ingrid Gutierrez 78-80-83=241 (T58); Alexandra Moisand 81-81-81=243 (T64); Katerina Jaeger 88-83-82=253 (T76).
By Richard Stevens – Senior Writer/GoLobos.com
Lobo Coach Jill Trujillo isn’t one to dodge reality and there was some reality in the scores her young Lobo golfers posted in their first tournament of the spring – the UCLA Wave Invitational held at the El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana, Calif.
Trujillo was not thrilled.
“We have a lot of work to do and a lot of small things to work on in order to get where we want to be by conference,” said Trujillo. “We didn’t finish up well.
But this is a determined group of young ladies and they know what they have to do.”
The Lobos turned in team cards of 311-322-325 for a 54-hole total of 958. New Mexico finished 68 shots behind Washington which won the title with a team score of 890.
UCLA’s Erynne Lee was the individual winner with a card of 73-73-70=216. She was five shots better than Anica Yoo of Oregon State and Sirene Blair of San Diego State, who tied for runner-up honors at 221.
The cards turned in by Blair and her Aztecs also should give the Lobos some motivation as they work to improve in order to defend their 2014 Mountain West title. The Aztecs beat UNM by 49 shots.
Trujillo said she was not happy with UNM’s finish and in Tuesday’s final 18 holes not one Lobo cracked 80. “You aren’t going to do much if you don’t have a single golfer break 80,” said Trujillo. “It just wasn’t happening for us.
“We were hitting the golf balls crooked today (Tuesday) and if you hit the ball crooked or make a mistake on this course, it’s a bogey every time.”
A loose expectation in a collegiate tournament is for individuals to turn in cards close to 75. Washington won the tournament and its top individual, Jennifer Yang, had three cards of 75-72-76. Out of Washington’s 15 cards (five golfers times three rounds) there were only six cards out of 15 under 75. SDSU had 12 of its 15 cards in the 70s. UNM had 11 of 15 in the 80s.
Washington’s Charlotte Thomas, rated No. 1 on the team, finished eighth in the tournament with two cards of 78.
So, the Lobos don’t have to improve that much in order to do well in future tournaments. But Trujillo wants to see those 80s disappear.
The Lobos had cards of 80-to-83 on Tuesday and in the second round on Monday only Manon Mollé slipped into the 70s and just barely at 79. UNM had three golfers in the 70s in the first 18 holes at the Bruin Wave.
“Everyone was average and then the putts weren’t dropping,” said Trujillo. “Not a good combination.”
Mollé is coming back from a broken left foot and had not played in a 54-hole collegiate golf tournament since last season. Trujillo said her talented sophomore was playing with pain, but probably has no choice but to adjust to that extra challenge.
Mollé went 76-79-82 obviously playing with more discomfort as she went along. She was the top finishing Lobo falling into a tied for 49th place. Eva Saulnier was tied for the 53rd spot.
“She was hurting pretty good,” said Trujillo. “It’s going to take her some time to learn how to deal with the pain while she is on the course. Her doctor said the foot could hurt for a couple of years. And here she was in her first collegiate event in around nine months and she was playing one of the more difficult courses we will play this year.
“But she knows what she has to do.”
All the Lobos know what they have to do – cut some strokes off their cards.