Two Bears In Top 15 After Pac-12 Women’s Golf Day One

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Senior Nicola Rössler sits 11th individually after 18 holes as the California women’s golf team sits seventh in the team standings at the conclusion of the first day of competition at the Pac-12 Women’s Golf Championships held at the Trysting Tree Golf Club in Corvallis, Ore.

Teams endured a 90 minute delay due to a hail storm in Corvallis. Four teams – UCLA, Stanford, Arizona State and Oregon State – already concluded their rounds before the delay. California sat at 6-over when the delay hit before finishing the round at 298 (+10).

The top three teams after 18 holes are UCLA (285, -3), Stanford (286, -2) and Arizona (287, -1). Marika Tumangan of Stanford leads all individuals with a 5-under 67 in the first round.

For the second consecutive season, Rössler shot an even 72 in the opening round of the conference tournament. The senior hit par on her first eight holes of the day before carding a birdie on the par-5, 510-yard 9th hole. She continued to show her steady hand by hitting par on each of the next five holes with another birdie on the par-5, 509-yard 15th hole, but consecutive bogeys on the 16th and 17th saw Rössler end her day at an even 72.

Rössler’s two birdies and two evens on the four par-5’s (2-under on par-5 holes) ties for the best showing on the first day.

Sophomore Carly Childs shot a 1-over 73 Friday and is tied for 15th on the individual leaderboard. Childs played the course almost as designed with pars on 15 of 18 holes on the day – tied for third-most in the tournament. Her birdie on the par-4 11th was offset by bogeys on the 3rd and 7th to finish with her best round since carding a 70 in the first round of the ASU/PING Invitational.

Competing in her first career Pac-12 Championship, junior Jo Ee Kok also played well with 14 pars, just behind Childs with the eighth-most pars in the tournament. Kok finished with a 4-over 76 Friday and is 36th individually.

Sophomore Hannah Suh and freshman Lucia Gutierrez both shot 5-over 77’s Friday and are tied for 44th on the individual leaderboard. Gutierrez led the Bears with three birdies on the day, all coming in a clutch stretch over the final five holes. Gutierrez, who hadn’t competed for the Bears since the SDSU Farms Invitational from March 24-26, began the day roughly and sat 7-over after nine holes. The score increased to 8-over with a bogey on the 12th before she rebounded with birdies on the 14th, 16th and 17th to drop her score down to a 77. Suh hit a birdie on the par-4 10th but saw three consecutive bogeys on the final three holes move her from 2-over to 5-over on the day.

The Bears tee off on the 10th hole Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. Cal is grouped with Oregon in the second round and will play in the order of Gutierrez, Suh, Kok, Childs and Rössler.

COURSE: Trysting Tree Golf Club (6,256 yards, par-72) – Corvallis, Ore.

CAL LINEUP:
T11. Nicola Rössler – 72 (E)
T15. Carly Childs – 73 (+1)
T36. Jo Ee Kok – 76 (+4)
T44. Hannah Suh – 77 (+5)
T44. Lucia Gutierrez – 77 (+5)

COMPETING TEAMS
1. UCLA – 285 (-3)
2. Stanford – 286 (-2)
3. Arizona – 287 (-1)
4. Washington – 290 (+2)
5. Arizona State – 291 (+3)
6. USC – 294 (+6)
7. California – 298 (+10)
T8. Oregon – 300 (+12)
T8. Oregon State – 300 (+12)
10. Colorado – 301 (+13)
11. Washington State – 302 (+14)