SOMIS “”mdash; Charlotte Mayorkas missed a two-foot putt on the
18th hole Wednesday, but it didn’t matter at all.
She was that dominant.
The UCLA junior didn’t play perfect golf, but she was able
to get herself out of several tough situations to win the
individual title at the Pac-10 Women’s Golf
Championships.
“It’s over now, and that’s all that
matters,” an exhausted Mayorkas said after compiling a 2-over
par 218 over three rounds. “It definitely means a lot for me
to win the Pac-10.”
The win was Mayorkas’ fourth individual title this season
and her fourth in five events. The tournament wins are even more
remarkable considering that she only won once during her first two
years as a Bruin.
“Charlotte’s been working hard, and the hard work
has been paying off,” UCLA coach Carrie Forsyth said.
“Winning is an attitude, and she has it.”
That attitude was tested this week.
While the fast greens and the long course at the Saticoy Country
Club inflated most players’ scores into the 80s, Mayorkas was
on top of her game.
She birdied the 16th hole, building her lead to three strokes
over teammate Hannah Jun in the individual title race.
“But I knew I still had a lot of work to do,”
Mayorkas said.
That’s because the 17th hole had given Mayorkas fits
earlier in the week. On Tuesday she had made an uncharacteristic
double-bogey on the hole.
It appeared that Mayorkas’ fears would be realized, as her
second shot missed the green and landed in a right-side bunker. But
her bunker shot stopped only a few feet from the pin, and Mayorkas
was able to save par.
“I definitely felt the pressure from Jun and
(Arizona’s) Erica Blasberg,” Mayorkas said. “But
I knew I couldn’t do anything about what they did and had to
focus on my game.”
Jun started Wednesday tied for first but finished two shots back
of Mayorkas. Blasberg started the day one shot behind Mayorkas, but
finished three back in third place.
UCLA has won all four tournaments that Mayorkas has won
individually. She became the first Bruin in 13 years to win the
Pac-10 title and has been the team’s most consistent golfer
all season long.
That doesn’t mean that Mayorkas is happy with her
performance. Traditionally one to downplay her own success, she
said she was still thinking about that last missed putt on the 18th
hole.
“Charlotte did great,” Forsyth said. “I know
she’s not as happy with her play as she should be. This
course is very tough, and she’s practiced here a lot. I knew
she would win.”