What a difference a day makes.
Less than 24 hours after having failed to separate from the pack
in a disappointing first round of the Pac-10 Championships at
Saticoy Country Club, the No. 2 UCLA women’s golf team made
its expected charge up the leaderboard, leaving the rest of the
competition in its wake.
And the Bruins don’t need to thank their lucky stars for
their second-round resurgence.
Instead, they only need to thank freshman Hannah Jun and junior
Charlotte Mayorkas.
Behind their masterful efforts, UCLA posted a 9-over-par team
total in the second round, the lowest team round of the tournament
thus far. After 36 holes, the Bruins are currently a collective
29-over-par.
UCLA holds a nine-shot lead over second-place No. 4 USC heading
into Wednesday’s third and final round.
But the team still isn’t happy with its play.
“I don’t think we played well together as a
team,” Jun said. “Hopefully it will work out
tomorrow.”
While the maze that is Saticoy has left many in the field
scratching their heads, Jun and Mayorkas took Tuesday’s
second round as an opportunity to scratch strokes off their
scores.
Jun, who is competing in her first conference tournament,
displayed the composure of a seasoned veteran on Tuesday. The
freshman carded three birdies against one bogey en route to a
compiling a nearly flawless scorecard, firing a 2-under-par 70 on
the 6,405-yard course, the lowest individual round of the
tournament.
“I made a lot of mistakes (Monday),” Jun said.
“And I went into today’s round trying to make less
mistakes. I had some birdies that didn’t fall today. But it
happens.”
Though Jun currently finds herself atop the leaderboard at
1-over-par, she’s got company.
Mayorkas, who is currently the No. 2 golfer in the country, shot
a 1-under-par 71 on Tuesday and is 1-over-par for the tournament
along with Jun.
In her second round, Mayorkas torched Saticoy for six birdies,
including five in a dominant seven-hole stretch during the middle
of her round.
Mayorkas, who admittedly is playing the best golf of her young
career, has a good chance to validate her magical season tomorrow
and take home the individual crown.
While Jun and Mayorkas solved Saticoy’s riddles, the rest
of UCLA’s squad continued to struggle to find answers.
Sophomore Susie Mathews rebounded from an opening-round 80 to
shoot a 4-over-par 76. She is currently tied for 14th place at
12-over-par.
Senior Krystal Shearer, who nearly had a hole-in-one on the
par-3 ninth hole on Monday, struggled mightily in her second round.
Shearer had 10 bogeys on her scorecard and shot a 9-over-par 81,
leaving her in a tie for 27th place at 16-over-par.
Joining Shearer at 16-over-par is senior Gina Umeck, who for the
second consecutive day shot an 80.
Bruin Bridget Dwyer, playing as an individual, is tied for 21st
place overall after shooting an 80 on Tuesday. Her composite score
is 14-over-par.