CORVALLIS, Ore. -- It was a great battle today in Corvallis, Ore., as overnight rain and on and off storms made the course challenging for the final round of the 2014 Pac-12 Women’s Golf Championship at Trysting Tree Golf Club. UCLA entered the day holding a one-stroke lead, with ARIZONA and STANFORD close behind as all three teams were poised to make a run at the title. 

 

 

As the Bruins fell back, the Wildcats emerged as leaders heading into the final nine holes; however, in a surprising turn of events, the Cardinal played confident after the final turn to post a 54-hole total of 869 (+5) and capture its first team championship since 1999. The impressive effort on the back nine helped Stanford overtake the Wildcats to earn the slim one-stroke victory and just the second team title in program history. 

 

The win was unexpected, so much so that Cardinal head coach Anne Walker was not even aware they had won after the last whole was finished.

 

“I hadn’t seen the scores so I had no idea where we stood,” said Walker. “I thought we were third, maybe fourth so it was shocking to say the least.”

 

The surprise made the victory that much sweeter for a team that hadn’t won in 15 years. Walker couldn’t have been more impressed by her team.

 

“I’m so unbelievably proud of them,” she said through a smile. “They worked really hard and they are a great group of kids. We were definitely underdogs coming into this week, and to walk away with the championship is a dream come true.”

 

UCLA’s Alison Lee recorded a 5-under 211 three-day total to become the fourth-consecutive freshman to walk away as the Pac-12 Individual Champion. Lee started the final round in fourth and hit four birdies en route to a 3-under 69. Lee is the first Bruin to win since Tiffany Joh won in 2007, while she stands along Joh, Charlotte Mayorkas (2004), and Lisa Kiggens (1991) as the fourth player in program history to take individual medalist honors. She is also just the second-ever UCLA freshman to earn the title. 

 

Lee maneuvered the tough conditions well, considering she rarely had to play in bad weather growing up in California.

 

“I am not really use to dealing with this kind of weather, but it was a really good test to see how my game is and what kind of elements I can play in,” she said. “It was a challenge and it was really fun.”

 

After leading for two rounds as a team, the Bruins fell to fourth on the final day, but had two others join Lee in the top-10. Sophomore Louise Ridderstrom tied for fifth after finishing with a 1-over 217 while junior Erynne Lee finished tied for ninth (+3, 219). 

 

The course conditions proved to be a significant factor on day three as no team finished under par, with just three individual golfers accomplishing that feat.

 

ARIZONA and USC ended in a tie after three days at 6-over for 870. Wildcat sophomore Lindsey Weaver, who lead for most of the day, finished in second place with a total of 214 (-2). The Trojans recovered nicely from a rough first round to climb back and finish in the top-three, paced by junior Doris Chen, who shot a 215 (-1) to come in third. 

 

ARIZONA STATE finished in fifth with a 883 (+19) after 54-holes followed by WASHINGTON at 884 (+20) to round out the top-six. The Sun Devils had two top-five finishers in junior Noemi Jimenez (216, E) and freshman Monica Vaughn (217, +1), who finished fourth and tied for fifth, respectively.

 

Pac-12 teams now look toward NCAA regional selection on Monday, April 28. NCAA regionals will take place May 8-10 in Tallahassee, Fla., Seattle, Wash., and Stillwater, Okla. University of Washington will serve as the tournament host in Seattle, Wash. The NCAA championship will take place May 20-23 in Tulsa, Okla.  

 

1. Stanford 286 - 291 - 292 — 869 (+5)

T2. Arizona 287 - 287 - 296 — 870 (+6)

T2. USC 294 - 284 - 292 — 870 (+6)

4. UCLA 285 - 288 - 298 — 871 (+7)

5. Arizona State 291 - 296 - 296 — 883 (+19)

6. Washington 290 - 293 - 301 — 884 (+20)

7. California 298 - 299 - 289 — 886 (+22)

8. Oregon 300 - 299 - 298 — 897 (+33)

9. Oregon State 300 - 296 - 302 — 898 (+34)

10. Washington State 302 - 298 - 313 — 913 (+49)

11. Colorado 301 - 304 - 322 — 927 (+29)

 

1. Alison Lee, UCLA 70 - 72 - 69 — 211 (-5)

2. Lindsey Weaver, Arizona 68 - 72 - 74 — 214 (-2)

3. Doris Chen, USC 74 - 70 -  71 — 215 (-1)

4. Noemi Jimenez, Arizona State 73 - 70 - 73 — 216 (E)

T5. Louise Ridderstrom, UCLA 69 - 74 -  74 — 217 (+1)

T5. Monica Vaughn, Arizona State 70 - 76 - 71 — 217 (+1)

T7. Kyung Kim, USC 76 - 69 - 73 — 218 (+2)

T7. Annie Park, USC 70 - 71 - 77 — 218 (+2)

T9. Casey Danielson, Stanford 74 - 73 - 72 — 219 (+3)

T9. Lauren Kim, Stanford 75 - 71 - 73  — 219 (+3)

T9. Erynne Lee, UCLA 69 - 71 - 79 — 219 (+3)

T9. Mariah Stackhouse, Stanford 71 - 75 - 73 — 219 (+3)