UNIVERSITY PARK, Wash. — The University of Colorado women’s golf team placed three in the top 20 and finished sixth overall as the season-opening Leadership and Golf Invitational wrapped up at Chambers Bay Golf Course on Tuesday.
Colorado finished the tournament at 16-over-par, 880, just one stroke out of the top five and six out of the top three. After hovering close to par in the first two rounds – 4 over combined – the Buffaloes were 12-over on the final 18 holes.
USC cruised to the team title, winning by 31 strokes. The Trojans were the only team to finish the tournament in the red, shooting 27-under par after a 12-under performance in the third round. Minnesota held on to second place at 2-over, despite playing 12-over in the third round. Georgia Southern and Oregon State tied for third at 10-over while San Francisco was fifth at 15-over.
Colorado, which entered the final round in third place, stayed in that spot most of the day until hitting a rough spot late on the back nine. The four Buffaloes who accounted for the team score lost nine strokes on a three-hole stretch that consisted of par 3s at No. 15 (155 yards) and No. 17 (168 yards) and the 336-yard par 4 No. 16.
“Not the finish we wanted today, but overall the team has made good progress,” Colorado head coach Anne Kelly said.
Despite the late slide it was an overall good start to the season for the Buffaloes. Graduate transfer Sabrina Iqbal had the round of the day with a 68 which allowed her to tie for 13th overall at 1-over, 217. Sophomore Morgan Miller had a share of the lead early in the third round, eventually dropping back to a tie for 15th at 2-over, 218, after a final round of 78. Junior Lauren Waxer-Gooding carded a 73 in the final round to tie for 20th overall at 3-over, 219.
Senior Hailey Schalk finished tied for 47th at 10-over, 226, while freshman Carolyn Fuller, in her collegiate debut finished tied for 96th at 26-over, 242.
USC’s Amari Avery was the individual champion at 9-under, 207. The Trojans took the top three and four of the top five individual spots.
“Sabrina was a bright spot, she played very well, very steady today,” Kelly said. “Lauren also played a strong round with a very unlucky break on 16 when her shot it the pin and then kicked into a tough spot in the bunker caught a break at 16 when she…
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