By Hailey Amato
Staff Writer
All bets were off when the Pepperdine women’s golf team traveled to Henderson, Nev., to compete in the Las Vegas Collegiate Shoot-Off. After a month away from competition and playing in their last tournament of the fall season, the team finished third in a field filled with many of the nation’s top 50 ranked teams — a good showing, but short of what the talented team was looking for.
The University of New Mexico, who earlier in the season took the Dick McGuire Invitational on their home course, claimed the win at Anthem Country Club. They completed the three-day competition with a final score of 880 to notch the top spot. Host team University of Las Vegas finished nine points back from the Lobos to clinch second place. Pepperdine, currently ranked No. 8 in Golfworld magazine, hit a final round 5-over-par 293 to place third in the 15-team field with 895 points.
“We played really hard,” Head Coach Laurie Gibbs said. “Honestly we were planning on playing a little better than we did, but in general it was a good tournament. I mean, we were playing against tough competition, both New Mexico and (University of Nevada) Las Vegas shot low rounds of the year.”
Familiarity with the course was a key advantage to both teams who beat the Waves.
“It was a very good golf course,” Gibbs said. “It’s what we call a target golf course, full of big greens. UNLV had a home course advantage, knowing where to hit it, where to not hit it. We learned that but it took some time. Ironically, New Mexico’s home course is very similar to this one with the same type of layout which worked in their favor.”
Another contribution to UNLV’s finish in the No. 2 spot was the return of top player Sunny Oh to its lineup. She was part of a three-way tie for first.
For the Waves, Senior All-American Lindsey Wright shot a final round even-par 72 to finish with a final score of 218, good for fifth. Wright continued to play strong, coming off standout performances at the Edean Ihlanfeldt Invitational and the World Women’s Amateur Team Championship where she finished in a tie for second individually and helped her homeland Australia take the title.
She is ranked ninth by Golfweek magazine and recently was one of only four Pepperdine athletes to receive West Coast Conference Player of the Month recognition.
Wright was followed closely by Pepperdine’s senior All-American Katherine Hull who shot a final round one-under-par 71 to score a 220 over the 72-hole course. Hull, who came in sixth, is currently ranked No. 1 in the nation by Golfweek.
Freshman Courtney Clark shot a career-low, two-over-par 74 on her second day of play. She moved from 15th place on day two to complete the tournament in a tie for 11th.
“She played well,” Gibbs said. “It was definitely the best tournament of the year for her, a very positive note to end on.”
Sophomore Rachel Kyono tied for 18th with a score of 230 and freshman Seiko Onu finished with a score of 247.
The freshmen have matured as players over the past few months, Gibbs said.
“No question about it, they’ve improved dramatically,” Gibbs said. “They are much more consistent golfers, getting more shots on the greens. You can see the increase in confidence on the course.”
The Waves will resume play in mid-January with a spring schedule that will hopefully finish with a NCAA showing as in years past.
They will have a new addition in Caroline Llano, a Colombian transfer student to Pepperdine. Llano competed in the World Women’s Amateur Team Championships in mid-October. Soon she will find two of the toughest competitors in the world, namely Wright and Hull, as her teammates.
“Llano is a top player in her country,” Head Coach Laurie Gibbs said. “ She is a talented golfer and a good student. She’ll integrate beautifully into the Pepperdine program.”
The women’s golf team will compete next Feb. 10 at the Ohio State TRW Regional Challenge.
November 14, 2002