Memo to golf courses in the Western United States: speed up your
greens, lengthen your rough, and extend your tees.
UCLA’s Charlotte Mayorkas is hunting you down.Â
Sophomore Mayorkas, the No. 9 women’s golfer in the
country, led wire-to-wire at the Arizona State Invitational held at
Karsten Golf Course to capture her first individual collegiate
title.
“It feels good,” Mayorkas said. “I just
can’t wait to get out there next tournament.”
The sophomore finished the three-round tournament at seven-under
par, breaking the UCLA women’s 54-hole record. Mayorkas
finished four strokes ahead of her nearest competitor,
California’s Sarah Huarte, who finished at three-under
par.
“Awesome,” said assistant coach Amanda Carmichael of
Mayorkas’ recent play. “She works very hard. She really
deserves it.”
For her efforts, Mayorkas was named the UCLA Student-Athlete of
the Week. Mayorkas has finished in the top 10 in five straight
tournaments and has five rounds under par this year.
The Bruins, ranked No. 16 nationally, finished third at the ASU
Invitational with a combined score of 878 (14-over par), trailing
first place California by two shots. UCLA’s first round of
282 (six-under par) is the lowest round with respect to par since
Coach Carrie Leary’s arrival in Westwood four years ago.
Mayorkas blistered Karsten Golf Course in the first round,
compiling seven birdies on a way to a 66 ““ six-under par. The
round of 66 is a collegiate and career-best for Mayorkas, and is
the lowest score posted by a Bruin in competition this year.
In the second round, Mayorkas and the rest of the field battled
fierce winds on the treeless and exposed Tempe, Ariz. course.
Although most of the field’s scores markedly increased due to
the winds, Mayorkas kept her head and focus into the round and
walked away with a one-under par 71, tying for the second lowest
score of the day.
“I played smart,” said Mayorkas of her second
round playing in strong winds. “On the 16th, the pin was
tucked on the back right, and because of (the wind), the ball had
to start over water.”  Â
Mayorkas followed the difficult second round with a solid
even-par 72 in the final round to finish at seven-under. She
amassed a total of 13 birdies during the tournament, a testament to
her improved putting.
With her first place finish, Mayorkas defeated four of the eight
players seeded above her in the national rankings. Mayorkas’
No. 9 ranking, along with the team’s No. 16 ranking, should
go up with their exceptional performance in Arizona.
The Bruins fielded two other players that finished in the top 10
individually. Junior Hana Kim and freshman Susie Mathews both
finished in a tie for 9th place at four-over par. Both Kim and
Mathews had a one-under par round.