Zachek Ties Career-Best; Lobos Finish Top 5
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico women’s golf team finished in the top five of the annual Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational on Tuesday for the first time since 2009. Senior Darian Zachek led after round two and was tied for first on Tuesday before finishing tied for second overall with a score of 210 (-6), just one stroke short of first.
“Our team hung tough this week and fought the entire 54 holes we played. They wanted to win and I think they performed extremely well, finishing plus four as a team, especially for the conditions of the course with its challenging hole locations today,” head coach Jill Trujillo said. “I think they exceeded their own expectations – but not mine – I know we have a solid group.”
As a team, the Lobos finished fifth overall, just two strokes out of third place, with a final score of 868 (+4), right behind 2018 NCAA Championship competitor Northwestern, which finished +3, and San Diego State (+2).
Zachek’s second-place tie matches her career-best finish and her second-round score of 67 was a career-low. Zachek carded a 70 in round one, followed with her score of 67 in round two before finishing with a 73 on Tuesday. She started the first four holes of the front nine with bogeys before picking up the pace and closing with a trio of birdies to finish +1 on the day.
While Zachek came close, a UNM player has not won the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational since 2008.
“Darian is typically pretty quiet, but you can just tell on her face that she really wants it and I know she really wanted this win,” Trujillo said. “I think she has honed her skills over the last three years to get where she is now and everything is better, her distance control, her putting, her short game, and that almost leads to the perfect storm. I have no doubt she’ll get a win this season.”
2018 NCAA Championship participant Kent State claimed the overall victory with a score of 858 (-6) while the top individual honor went to Hira Naveed of Pepperdine (209; -7).
Finishing second for the Lobos, tied for 19th overall, was junior Reva Morris who finished the three rounds with scores of 73, 72 and 73, respectively (+2 overall). She was followed by senior Emma Edwards and freshman Kamie Hamada who tied for 47th with scores of 224 (+8). Hamada’s single-round scores were 70 and 72 through the first two rounds, but dropped to 82 in round three. Sophomore Caroline Jansson rounded out UNM’s top five finishing +10 for the day.
“Kamie’s performance as a freshman was incredible,” Trujillo said. “Anytime a freshman has low rounds like that, it really makes the coaches feel great. But all of our players worked together to get where we got today and that is the key. They are a bunch of individuals but the whole group wants it and that makes it much more fun to watch – and much more fun for the coaches.”
The Lobos are set to return to action on Sept. 28-30 at Oklahoma in the Schooner Fall Classic at Belmar.
Final round of the 2018 Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invite! @UNMLoboWGolf #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/Auxh5OuQ7X
— New Mexico Lobos (@UNMLOBOS) September 11, 2018