(Updated Sept. 13) University of Colorado senior Esther Lee certainly started her season with a bang on Monday as she tied an NCAA women’s golf record with an opening round of 11-under-par 61 at the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational, held at the University of New Mexico’s Championship Course in Albuquerque.
Lee went on to claim the individual title by five strokes on Tuesday, with a CU women’s program-record 18-under-par 198 total for three rounds. It was the third individual college victory for Lee since she transferred to CU two years ago, including the stroke-play portion of last year’s East & West Match Play Challenge.
Lee, a second-team All-American last year, matched the 61 Mariah Stackhouse shot as a Stanford freshman at the 2013 Peg Barnard Invitational. In relation to par, Lee now holds the outright NCAA record as Stackhouse was 10 under for her 61.
Lee posted 11 birdies and no bogeys in her first of two scheduled rounds on Monday. The Dick McGuire Invite marked the 2016-17 season opener for the CU women.
“On my first hole (Monday), I had a short iron in and made a birdie,” Lee told the Albuquerque Journal. “Then I birdied my next two holes and just kind of got into a rhythm. It seemed like every putt I hit was exactly where I wanted it to go. It just felt like a really easy round.
“It was like all the putts were dead straight, and they were all rolling into the hole.”
After going bogey-free for the first 29 holes of the tournament, Lee ended up posting scores of 61-69-68 for her 18-under-par total. Sirene Blair of San Diego State was a distant runner-up at 13 under. Lee finished strong, playing her final 10 holes in 4 under par.
“It’s an incredible feeling to know I’m starting off my senior year with a win, having that kind of experience and having the confidence going into the rest of the season,” Lee said. “This is the most fun I’ve had playing golf in a tournament because of how well I played.”
Also ending up in the top 10 Tuesday was Oklahoma’s Hannah Wood, a Colorado resident who placed eighth at 209 after rounds of 72-70-67.
CU placed seventh out of the 16-team field — at even-par 864 — while the University of Denver (881) was 13th.
CSU’s Secor Fifth in First College Tourney: Meanwhile, at the Ptarmigan Ram Classic at Ptarmigan Country Club in Fort Collins, freshman Ellen Secor, competing in her first college event for host CSU, finished fifth individually.
Secor carded rounds of 73-68-74 for a 1-under-par 215 total, which left her five strokes behind champion My Leander of San Jose State.
Northern Colorado finished eighth in the 15-team field, while CSU was 12th.
Dick McGuire Invitational
Sept. 12-13, 2016 (final) in Albuquerque, N.M.
7. (out of 16 teams) Colorado 281-296-287–864
1. Esther Lee 61-69-68–198; 30. Brittany Fan 71-74-73–218; 30. Kirsty Hodgkins 72-75-71–218; 78. Tori Glenn 77-78-75–230; 81. Gillian Vance 77-79-75–231; Individual: 88. Lauryn Keating 77-84-76–237.
13. Denver 301-293-287–881
25. Jessica Carty 77-68-72–217; 51. Mariell Bruun 78-75-69–222; 55. Jessica Dreesbeimdieke 75-76-72–223; 55. Sonya Knebel 71-78-74–223; 70. Lauren Whyte 78-74-75–227; Individuals: 65. Sophie Newlove 79-75-72–226; 65. Kathi Baratta 79-75-72–226.
Also
8. Coloradan Hannah Wood, Oklahoma 72-70-67–209
Ptarmigan Ram Classic
Sept. 12-13, 2016 (final) at Par-72 Ptarmigan CC in Fort Collins
8. (out of 15 teams) Northern Colorado 303-297-312–912
11. Kala Keltz 72-75-73–220; 19. Janet Yeo 72-73-79–224; 56. Morgan Sahm 82-73-78–233; 71. Marisa Hisaki 80-76-82–238; 81. Baile Winslow 79-81-82–242. Individual: 42. Christina Ferreira 75-76-80–231.
12. Colorado State 313-301-307–921
39. Katrina Prendergast 79-76-75–230; 47. Sarah Archuleta 75-77-80–232; 47. Elisabeth Rau 82-75-75–232; 61. Jessica Sloot 78-73-84–235; 75. Caroline Reiners 81-82-77–240. Individual: 5. Ellen Secor 73-68-74–215; 42. Brianna Becker 76-77-78–231.
Also
35. Coloradan Erin Sargent, Wyoming 73-77-79–229
47. Coloradan Sarah Hankins, Wyoming 75-77-80–232
61. Coloradan Taylor Dorans, Wyoming 79-74-82–235
