There was certainly more final-round nail-biting involved than in recent years, but the University of Denver women’s golf team restored order at its league championship Tuesday in Nebraska City.
Despite trailing entering the final round, the Pioneers rallied early then held off South Dakota State to win their 14th consecutive conference title, this one at the Summit League tournament. With the victory, Denver earned an automatic berth into the NCAA Regional Championships May 8-10.
DU’s run of conference success dates back to 2004 and includes four Summit League championships, nine in the Sun Belt Conference and one in the WAC.
Denver won last year’s Summit title by a whopping 52 strokes, but this year bore no resemblance to 2016. This time around, the Pioneers recorded the lowest team score of the tournament — a 5-over-par 293 — in the final round to record a six-stroke victory. DU finished at 42-over-par 906 for three rounds in notching its first multi-team tournament victory of the season.
Senior Jessica Carty, last year’s individual champion, finished second this time as her 8-over-par 224 total left her two shots behind winner Megan Mingo of South Dakota State. Denver put all of its players in the top eight individually, with Mariell Bruun (227, third place) joining fellow senior McCarty in the top three.
“They’re just gamers,” DU coach Lindsay Kuhle said of her players. “They love to compete. They love to represent DU and they love to pull through. They love the challenge.”
Meanwhile, the University of Colorado remained in second place after Tuesday’s second round of the Women’s Pac-12 Championships, which boasts one of the toughest conference tournament fields in the nation. The Buffs, ranked No. 21 nationally by Golfstat, shot a 2-under-par 286 on Tuesday, leaving them at 582 and seven strokes behind UCLA, the nation’s No. 3-ranked team.
Going into the final round, CU has four of its five players in the top 10 individually, with two freshmen from Queensland, Australia leading the way for the Buffs. Kirsty Hodgkins fired a 2-under-par 70 and stands at even-par 144, good for fourth place, seven strokes behind leader Lilia Vu of UCLA. And Robyn Choi is fifth at 145. Junior Brittany Fan is seventh at 146 and senior Esther Lee ninth at 147.
DU was one of three Colorado-based teams that earned league titles on Tuesday. University of Colorado-Colorado Springs won the NCAA Division II Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference men’s championship by three, and Regis the RMAC women’s by eight.
In the men’s RMAC in Chandler, Ariz., UCCS (at 9-over-par 861) edged Colorado Christian (864), Colorado Mesa (865) and Colorado State-Pueblo (866). Colorado Springs resident and UCCS junior Colin Prater, winner of the 2016 CGA Amateur, claimed the individual crown after a 3-under-par 68 on Tuesday put him at 8-under 205. Second place went to Chase Carlson of Colorado Christian (209 after a closing 66).
In the women’s RMAC, also in Chandler, Regis closed with a tournament-best 303 to prevail by eight over Colorado State-Pueblo. CSU-Pueblo senior Jacquelyn Porman won the individual title by two over Alex Darwin of UCCS. Porman recorded a 3-over-par 147 total.
Women’s Summit League Championship
April 23-25, 2017 (final) in Nebraska City
1. (out of 9 teams) Denver 296-317-293–906
2. Jessica Carty 72-80-72–224
3. Mariell Bruun 75-79-73–227
6. Jessica Dreesbeimdieke 75-81-72–228
7. Sophie Newlove 74-79-76–229
8. Lauren Whyte 75-79-76–230
Women’s Pac-12 Championship
April 24-26, 2017 in Tucson, Ariz.
T2. (out of 11 teams) Colorado 296-286–582
4. Kirsty Hodgkins 74-70–144
5. Robyn Choi 72-73–145
7. Brittany Fan 74-72–146
9. Esther Lee 76-71–147
55. Lauryn Keating 84-86–170
Also
30. Former DU golfer Elyse Smidinger, Oregon State 80-75–155
Men’s RMAC Championship
April 24-25, 2017 (final) in Chandler, Ariz.
Team Scores
1. Colorado-Colorado Springs 283-291-287–861
2. Colorado Christian 284-297-283–864
3. Colorado Mesa 290-289-286–865
4. Colorado State-Pueblo 292-285-289–866
5. Fort Lewis 295-290-285–871
6. Colorado School of Mines 289-290-296–875
7. Regis 296-300-285–881
8. South Dakota School of Mines 316-307-306–929
Top 5 Individuals
1. Colin Prater, UCCS 68-69-68–205
2. Chase Carlson, Colorado Christian 71-72-66–209
3. Jordan McBrayer, Regis 72-75-64–211
4. Jake Ice, CSU-Pueblo 70-69-75–214
4. Hugh Taylor, Fort Lewis 71-73-70–214
For complete results, CLICK HERE.
Women’s RMAC Championship
April 24-25, 2017 (final) in Chandler, Ariz.
Team Scores
1. Regis 313-303–616
2. Colorado State-Pueblo 312-312–625
3. Colorado-Colorado Springs 315-319–634
4. Colorado Mesa 321-320–641
5. Colorado Christian 328-320–648
6. Metro State 333-324–657
7. South Dakota School of Mines & Technology 334-337–671
8. Westminster College (Utah) 346-335–681
9. Fort Lewis 360-341–701
10. Chadron State 364-345–709
11. Black Hills State 358-361–719
12. Adams State 364-361–725
Top 5 Individuals
1. Jacquelyn Porman, CSU-Pueblo 71-76–147
2. Alex Darwin, UCCS 75-74–149
3. Grace Marie Schian, Regis 78-72–150
4. Mary Weinstein, Regis 77-74–151
5. Katrina Mendez, Colorado Christian 76-77–153
5. Jolene Kam, CSU-Pueblo 77-76–153
For complete results, CLICK HERE.
