DENVER -Kansas City's Francois Legraulet and NM State's Pun Chanachai have been named Western Athletic Conference Men's and Women's Golfers of the Month, respectively, for September.
Lagraulet, a junior from Bordeaux, France (Lycee St. Joseph de Tivoli), made the most of his lone tournament in September, shooting a 9-under-par 201 to win the Ram Masters Invitational. The win was the first collegiate victory for the 2015-16 WAC Freshman of the Year and his low score of 65 at the tournament is a best in the WAC this season. His 67.00 scoring average is tied for second in the NCAA this season and he is third in the Golfstat Cup rankings. He is also ranked fifth in the Golfweek Individual Rankings.
Chanachai, a sophomore from Bangkok, Thailand (The Demonstration School of Ramkhamhaeng), continued right where she left off last season, earning victories in both tournaments she entered and leading the Aggies to a pair of team titles as well. In the season-opening Hobble Creek Fall Classic, she shot a 9-under-par 204 to finish first, posting all three rounds in the 60s. She followed that up with a win at the Col. Wollenberg's Ram Classic, shooting an 11-under-par 205 which included a WAC-record 9-under-par 63 in the tournament's second round. She is currently ninth in the Golfstat Cup rankings and 15th in the Golfweek Individual Rankings.
Other men's nominees: Grand Canyon's Vinnie Murphy was even-par on the month, shooting a 1-over-par 211 at the Ram Masters and a 1-under-par 215 at the Northern Intercollegiate … UT Rio Grande Valley's Alvaro Hernandez averaged 71.83 strokes per round in his first two tournaments as a Vaquero … Utah Valley's Blair Bursey paced the Wolverines in the first month of the season, averaging 70.78 strokes per round in three tournaments.
Other women's nominees: CSU Bakersfield's Tori Peers led the ‘Runners in their opening tournament, taking 27th at the Hobble Creek Fall Classic … Grand Canyon's Deanna Salvatori took second at the Hobble Creek Fall Classic, shooting a 6-under-par 207 … Kansas City's Cynthia Diaz tied for 22nd at the Payne Stewart Memorial, shooting a 13-over-par 226 … Seattle U's Vendela From led the Redhawks in their first tournaments of the season … UT Rio Grande Valley's Michelle Moroles led the Vaqueros in both tournaments they played in … Utah Valley's Carly Dehlin had a pair of top 10 finishes and posted a 74.67 stroke average in nine rounds played.