By Seth Fast Glass
BRUIN SPORTS REPORTER
sglass@media.ucla.edu
The UCLA women’s golf team went along for a roller coaster
ride in inclement weather in the final round of the Edean
Ihlanfeldt Invitational at Sahalee Golf and Country Club in
Sammamish, Washington.
The No. 5 Bruins, who were leading the tournament midway through
Wednesday’s final round, fell victim to the weather and a
brutally difficult back nine on Sahalee, and consequently finished
the Invitational tied for second place with California. Both
schools accumulated a 35-over-par total.
The Arizona Wildcats, led by All-American Erica Blasberg,
finished strongly to capture the championship with a three-round
total of 32-over-par. Blasberg and USC’s Irene Cho took home
medalist honors, both shooting 3-over-par for the tournament.
“When the wind came up and it started to rain and the
cedar needles were blowing around the greens, I started believing
that bogie (18-over-par) was going to be a good score today,”
Arizona head coach Greg Allen said in a press release.
UCLA, trailing Cal by one stroke entering the day, came out
firing on the front nine to grab a four-stroke lead. However, UCLA
was unable to sustain its charge on the back nine, which saw scores
rise dramatically for the entire field. UCLA’s third-round
19-over-par performance was the team’s highest of the
tournament.Â
Leading the way for the Bruins was sophomore Susie Mathews.
Mathews, who, going into the final round, was in second place at
even-par, finished the tournament tied for fourth place at
6-over-par.
Senior Bridget Dwyer had her most successful tournament as a
Bruin, finishing in a tie for ninth place at 8-over- par. Dwyer,
who shot 3-over on her front nine Wednesday, had three birdies on
her back nine to finish the day with a 4-over 76.
Dwyer’s tournament also included a 1-under-par 71 in
Tuesday’s second round, one of two Bruin rounds
under-par.
Junior All-American Charlotte Mayorkas also finished the
tournament tied for ninth place at 8-over-par.
Senior Gina Umeck tied Dwyer for the Bruins’ lowest round
Wednesday, also firing a 4-over-par 76. Umeck earned a tie for 31st
place after a 17-over-par tournament.
Freshman sensation Hannah Jun, competing in her third collegiate
tournament, struggled in her final round and ended up tied for 39th
place.