Winning team titles in NCAA Division I golf isn’t an easy task, particularly for Colorado-based DI women’s teams, given that there are only four of them.
But magic struck on Wednesday as the University of Colorado and University of Denver hit pay dirt about an hour apart in separate tournaments.
First, CU prevailed by seven strokes in the Coeur D’Alene Collegiate in Idaho, marking the Buffs’ first team title since they claimed back-to-back championships in March 2012, though they did claim stroke-play medalist honors in the East & West Match Play Challenge in 2015.
Then DU (pictured) won by two shots in its home state at the Golfweek Conference Challenge at Red Sky Golf Club’s Fazio Course in Wolcott. It was the Pioneers’ sixth consecutive top-five finish in this event, where the Summit League champions were runner-up a year ago.
Each tournament featured an 18-team field.
In Idaho, Colorado used a team-record-smashing 16-under-par 268 second round to post a winning score of 18-under 834, a program-record total which was seven shots better than runner-up Illinois.
CU’s two sophomores from Australia placed first and second individually, with Kirsty Hodgkins winning and 2017 U.S. Women’s Open qualifier Robyn Choi tying for second. Hodgkins went 68-65-70 for a 10-under-par 203 total, good for a four-stroke victory. She made 15 birdies in 54 holes and went bogey-free in round 2.
Choi also had a second-round 65, in addition to a first-round 72 and a closing 70. Also on the winning Buffs’ squad were Brittany Fan (212), Alisha Lau (217) and Gillian Vance (222).
At Red Sky, DU won the team title despite not putting a individual in the top 10. Lauren Whyte finished 11th individually at 1-over-par 217 after closing with a 70. She ended up eight strokes behind individual champion Haley Moore of Arizona (74-64-71).
Former Junior Golf Alliance of Colorado Girls Player of the Year Mary Weinstein, a transfer from Regis University, placed 15th at 218 for DU, thanks largely to a second-round 66. Rounding out the Pioneers’ winning roster were Sophie Newlove (222), Jessica Dreesbeimdieke (223) and Camille Enright (232).
Coeur D’Alene Collegiate
Sept. 26-27, 2017 (final) in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho
1. (out of 18 teams) Colorado 282-268-284–834
1. Kirsty Hodgkins 68-65-70–203
2. Robyn Choi 72-65-70–207
12. Brittany Fan 70-70-72–212
26. Alisha Lau 77-68-72–217
45. Gillian Vance 72-78-72–222
10. Colorado State 291-288-300–879
16. Katrina Prendergast 68-70-76–214
18. Ellen Secor 70-71-74–215
51. Haley Greb 77-73-73–223
68. Brooke Nolte 76-74-77–227
83. Fiona Hebbel 81-78-77–236
Also
12. Coloradan Anna Kennedy, BYU 71-68-73–212
Women’s Golfweek Conference Challenge
Sept. 25-27, 2017 (final) at Red Sky GC Fazio Course in Wolcott
1. (out of 18 teams) Denver 292-291-289–872
11. Lauren Whyte 72-75-70–217
15. Mary Weinstein 74-66-78–218
26. Sophie Newlove 75-76-71–222
32. Jessica Dreesbeimdieke 71-80-72–223
71. Camille Enright 82-74-76–232
