Consistency was the name of the game for the Pepperdine women’s golf team early this week as they challenged difficult competitors only to come out as champions. The Waves opened their season Sept. 13 in Primm Nev. at the Golfweek Conference Challenge.
They entered the tournament as the favored team ranked in preseason polls as No. 12 by Golfweek and no. 13 by GolfWorld/National Golf Coaches Association. Oklahoma State ranked No. 4 in the GolfWorld/NGCA poll was the only team ranked higher going into the event. Yet Oklahoma State which ended up coming in fifth place did not prove to be close competitors with the Waves as other teams did.
The final round began Tuesday with the Waves in third place closely trailing UC Berkley and Chattanooga. Their faultless play throughout the day — even with par at 288 — put them ahead of second place California by one stroke and third place Chattanooga by two strokes. The team totaled 881 or 17 over par at the end of three rounds.
Junior Taylor Karle who was the Wave’s leading scorer last season with a stroke average of 74.18 led the team this tournament. Her total score of 218 allowed her to place in fifth place individually out of 89 other players. Her mental concentration proved strong on Tuesday as the win came down to her final putt on the last hole. She shot par on each of the 18 holes for a score of 72 on Tuesday.
Sophomore Lisa McCloskey played consistently each day shooting 74-73-74. The 5-over par score positioned her in 11th place individually. McCloskey thinks this tournament was a good confidence booster and indication of what is to come this season.
“It was our goal to start the season off with a win McCloskey said. And having done that gives us the confidence to continue that kind of play in future tournaments. We just proved that we have the talent to be a dominant team at nationals.”
McCloskey has high expectations to meet this upcoming season. She placed 10th at the NCAA Championships last season and was named to the NGCA All-American honorable mention team. She also broke an NCAA-record with a 17-under par score at the Las Vegas Collegiate Showdown early last season.
Junior Martinne de Gannes who has not been on the line-up since her freshman year certainly showed she deserves a spot on Pepperdine’s women’s golf team. She was the Waves’ leading scorer on both Monday and Tuesday and shot 2-under par on Tuesday with five birdies. Her final score of 220 tied her for ninth place individually a promising debut.
Sophomore Kaitlin Drolson also came through under pressure playing her best round of the tournament on Tuesday. Drolson’s even-par score on the final round included three birdies moving her up a number of sports into 16th place individually.
Sophomore Jessica Wallace also showed her best game on Tuesday with a 3-over 75. She tied for 51st place individually.
The Waves will head to New Mexico on Sept. 19 and 20 for the Dick McGuire Invitational.
