Western Athletic Conference Divots:
The UTEP Miners found a groove at the Susie Maxwell Berning Classic held in Norman, Okla., last week earning a top-10 finish and placing two golfers in the top 20. Linda Chen tied for ninth place (73-76-76-225) to lead all Miner competitors, while Amy Willmon turned in a 19th-place performance. SMU finished in a tie for 11th in the 15-team field. Junior Julie Crooks led the Mustangs with a 32nd-place showing after talling a three-day total 236. Fellow classmate Kelle King finished 39th, while Danielle Netschi was notted at 40th.
Playing in the first of two tournaments last week, Nevada took ninth at the 19-team Utah Dixie Classic held April 9-10. Senior Angie Yoon completed the tournament in seventh place with a three round total of 230, 13-strokes over par and only three strokes off the winning score. A day after shooting a first round 74, Yoon had a second round 81 and recovered with a 75 in the final round. In a tie for 19th was Alana Condon, who shot a 78 in the second and third rounds to bring her total to 235 for the two-day event. Hawai`i saw a second-round, eighth-place score slip, as the Wahine struggled to keep the strong winds from playing havoc on their final round scores at the Dixie Invitational. Junior Melanie Matsumura paced Hawai`i with a tie for 37th. Matsumura's first-round score of 71 was one of only two rounds under-par in the tournament, and left her with a share of the lead. However, Matsumura struggled in the final 36 holes, closing with a disappointing 91 for a 239 total. Sophomore Bobbie Arakawa was six strokes back in a tie for 54th.
Georgina Simpson turned in her best round of the season, a one-under par 71, to lead San Jose State to its first second-place finish of the year at the Peg Barnard Collegiate held at the Stanford Golf Course. Finishing ninth, Simpson's 71 was one of only three scores under par during Saturday's final round of the 36-hole tournament. As a team, the Spartans counted four scores under 80 on Saturday for the first time in five rounds of competition. Third heading into the final round, San Jose State moved past California. Jessica Krantz was the Spartans top finisher for the fourth time this season, earning her first top-five finish as she tied for second-place honors, three shots back of the medallist. Krantz and Simpson, both seniors, finished in the top-10 for the first time this season. Entering the final round of the Peg Benard Classic in seventh, Nevada was unable to gain ground and remained in seventh for its fifth top-10 finish of the season. For the eighth time this season, Angie Yoon led all Pack golfers. In a lock at fifth, her seventh top-10 placement of the campaign, Yoons 7-over-par 149 was five shots off the medallist score. Freshman Katy Joslin tallied a 76 in the final round to go along with her opening round 79 to enter into a tie for 21st.
Tulsa enters the 2001 WAC Womens Golf Championship next week as the returning champion. The Hurricane have finshed in the top-nine in every tournament this year, including four top-five placements. Currently, holding the 11th spot in the nation, the Hurricane will be challenged by 16th ranked TCU, who finished second a year ago, for the top spot. The Frogs have posted top-10 finishes in each tournament this year, but have yet to win a title. San Jose State, ranked 37th, travels to Lewisville, Texas fresh from its second-place showing at Stanfords Peg Benard Classic last week. Jessica Krantz and Georgina Simpson showed senior leadership with season-best second and ninth-place outings, respectively. No. 50 Nevada, with All-American and 2000 co-Big West Player of the Year Angie Yoon, will look to leave its mark at the teams first WAC Championship. Host SMU, the only other WAC team ranked in the top 80, will be led by the junior corps of Danielle Netschi, Julie Crooks and Kelle King who have combined for eight top-20 finishes this season. The Mustangs started off hot, winning three tournaments and finishing in the top five twice. However, since the end of February, the team has yet to place in the top half of the field. UTEP, listed 114th by Golfstat, will be led by Linda Chen, who has placed in the top-10 four times this season. Entering the clubhouse as Hawai`is top golfer all but twice this season, junior Melanie Matsumura will lead the Wahine troops into the battle for the WAC title.