The UC Irvine women's golf team tied for fourth place in the NCAA West Regional that concluded Saturday at Karsten Golf Course in Tempe, Ariz. By finishing in the top eight, Coach Julie Brooks' Anteaters earned a berth in the NCAA Finals at Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Md., May 19-22. This will be the program's third appearance in the last five years at the NCAA Championship as the 2005 team finished 18th and the '07 squad 19th at the finals.
Arizona State won the West Regional title with a 54-hole total of 22-under par 842. USC finished second at 861, LSU was third at 868 while UCI, TCU and Texas tied for fourth at 873. The UC Irvine women's golf team tied for fourth place in the NCAA West Regional that concluded Saturday at Karsten Golf Course in Tempe, Ariz.
Carlota Ciganda of Arizona State was the top individual with a 10-under total of 206 after she shot 1-under 71 in the final round. Jennifer Song of USC shot 68 and was second at 207. UCI senior Jane Chin tied for third place at 208 along with Arizona State's Juliana Murcia. Chin shot an even-par 72 in Saturday's final round. Junior Patty Chawalitmetha shot 74 Saturday and placed 35th at 222. Freshmen Lalita Patipaksiri (76) and Joy Trotter (78) tied for 43rd at 223, and sophomore Hillary Packard (81) was 85th at 234.
The 49ers finish the 54-hole regional in 17th place with a three-day total of 44-over 908.Senior All-American Kay Hoey was the top finisher for LBSU as she tied for 18th place with three other players. Hoey shot an even 72 on Saturday afternoon as she came away with four birdies and four bogeys to finish with a tournament total of a one-over 217. Hoey closes out her collegiate career at The Beach as the highest decorated women's golfer at LBSU. Freshman Lee Lopez shot a three-over 75 to finish tied for 43rd. Lopez recorded just one birdie for the day that came at the par five No. 5 hole. She also had four bogeys for the round. Lopez finished the tournament with a seven-over 223. Reina Rogers carded a seven-over 79 to tie for 94th as she had one birdie and eight bogeys. Rogers' three-day total was a 21-over 237.
Fellow classmate Lindsey McAtee recorded her best round of the tournament with a 73 to move up in six spots in the standings to tie for 94th. McAtee's scorecard for the final round was highlighted by one birdie and one bogey on the front nine and one birdie and two bogeys on the back nine. McAtee finished the tournament with a 22-over 238. Junior Brenda Chhuor shot an 83 to finish tied for 101st. Chhuor finished with a three-day total of 28-over 244.
UC Davis' Alice Kim fired a 2-under par 69 during Saturday's final round of the NCAA West Regional, finishing in eighth-place and earning a spot in the national finals. Sophomore Chelsea Stelzmiller, also competing as an individual at the three-day tournament, enjoyed her best round of the regional, also shooting 69 and tying for 23rd in the 108-player field.
The top eight teams, along with the top two individuals not an advancing team, qualified for the championship finals which will be hosted by Georgetown University at Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Md.