Women’s Golf Wins School-Record Fourth Team Title
SEDONA, Ariz. – The Northern
Arizona women’s golf team came back from five strokes down to
win the Red Rocks Invitational by four strokes over Cal Poly Sunday
at Oakcreek Country Club. NAU posted a tournament-best 301 in the
final round and four players were among the top eight finishers in
the field of 105 players.
“It was a great win for us,” said Head Coach Brad
Bedortha. “I was very proud and happy with the way we played
today. We came out in tough conditions and the weather turned out
great. We played awesome. It was really fun to watch them play and
compete to produce a good score and win.”
Junior Alexa Kim tied the tournament record with a one-under par
71, the low round of the tournament, to lead the Lumberjack
victory. Kim, who tied for fourth overall,at seven-over par 151,
posted a two-over par 38 over the first nine holes before recording
her first birdie on the par 5 10th hole. She moved to even par for
the day with a birdie at the par-3 150-yard 13th hole and closed
the round with a birdie on the par-4, 385-yard par 4. She had an 80
in the first round on Saturday.
“Alexa played awesome,” said Bedortha. “She has
worked really hard on her game and it just has not been clicking on
all cylinders. It was great to see her play well and get her
confidence back. She had a great fall and to get her back playing
like that is huge for us.”
Kim, who played at Hamilton High School in Chandler, tied the
tournament record set by Briana Broderick of Michigan in 2007. It
was her third round under-par this season and tied her third-best
collegiate round of her career.
Freshman Stephanie Kim also finished at seven-over par 151 in a
tie for fourth with North Dakota State’s Amy Anderson, the
2009 USGA girls' Junior Amateur Champion. Anderson captured
NAU’s Mountain Shootout held at Flagstaff Ranch Golf Course
this past fall.
Freshman Aleah Kim, the younger sister of Alexa, finished seventh
playing as an individual with rounds of 75 and 77 for a 152. Junior
Dakin Banta was eighth overall with a pair of rounds at five-over
par 77 for 154.
The victory was the fourth of the season for the Lumberjack golf
program, setting a new school record. The 1996-97, 1997-98 and
1998-99 golf teams each recorded three wins. It was their first win
at their home spring tournament since the inaugural season in
2006.
Senior Megan Buck was tied for 13th at 157 with junior Bethany
Leclair four strokes back in a tie for 23rd. Senior Meghan Bremer
was tied for 33rd at 163 with rounds of 80 and 83, while senior
Lauren Halstead finished in a tie for 71st.
NAU defeated Cal Poly 613-617 with Portland (638), Eastern
Michigan (641) and Xavier (641) rounding out the top five teams in
the field. Portland’s Paige Rachor won the individual title
with a five-over par 149, finishing with an even-par 72 in the
final round. She defeated a pair of Cal Poly golfers, Maddy
Fletcher and Kristen Locke, who finished a stroke back at 150.
NAU returns to action on Friday at the Rio Verde Invitational held
in Rio Verde, Ariz., and hosted by Western Michigan.
Red Rocks Invitational
Oakcreek Country Club
Sedona, Ariz.
Team
Results
1. Northern Arizona 312-301 613 +37
2. Cal Poly 307-310 617 +41
3. Portland 322-316 638 +62
T4. Eastern Michigan 320-321 641 +65
T4. Xavier University 323-318 641 +65
6. UC Riverside 322-320 642 +66
7. Western Michigan 329-314 643 +67
8. Grand Canyon 332-318 650 +74
9. Louisiana Monroe 331-322 653 +77
10. Northern Colorado 340-320 660 +84
11. Montana 320-341 661 +85
12. Western New Mexico 322-343 665 +89
13. Cal State Bakersfield 330-338 668 +92
14. Montana State Univ. 333-336 669 +93
15. Utah Valley 339-332 671 +95
16. North Dakota State 344-328 672 +96
17. Southern Utah 341-332 673 +97
18. USC Upstate 350-340 690 +114
Individual
Results (Top 10)
1. Paige Rachor, Portland 77-72 149 +5
T2. Maddy Fletcher, Cal Poly 76-74 150 +6
T2. Kristin Locke, Cal Poly 75-75 150 +6
T4. Amy Anderson, North Dakota State 76-75 151 +7
T4. Alexa Kim, Northern Arizona 80-71 151 +7
T4. Stephanie Kim, Northern Arizona 76-75 151 +7
7. Aleah Kim*, Northern Arizona 75-77 152 +8
8. Dakin Banta, Northern Arizona 77-77 154
+10
9. Alexandra Erdman, UC Riverside 78-77 155 +11
T10. Jennifer Lutz, Grand Canyon 81-75 156 +12
T10. Natalie Guidry, UC Riverside 79-77 156 +12
T10. Elise Swartout, Western Michigan 83-73 156 +12
Other NAU
Results
T13. Megan Buck 79-78 157
T23. Bethany Leclair* 80-81 161
T33. Meghan Bremer 80-83 163
T71. Lauren Halstead* 85-86 171
* Individual
Red Rocks Invitational Final Results (PDF)
