It didn’t take long for Charlotte Mayorkas to make a solid
impression in her first tournament as a professional. Playing at
the same U.S. Women’s local qualifying site as her coach
Carrie Forsyth and teammate Hannah Jun, the senior and three-time
All-American bested them all. Mayorkas fired an even-par 72 at
Paradise Valley Country Club in Phoenix on Monday, finishing the
qualifier tied for first place and advancing to sectional
qualifying. It was a stark contrast from how Mayorkas finished her
collegiate career with a very disappointing 7-over par 78 in the
final round of the NCAA Championships. Still, the senior, who led
the women’s golf team to the 2004 NCAA championship, has no
regrets from her college career. “It would have been a
disappointing four years if we wouldn’t have had (a
title),” said Mayorkas on Friday. “But you get to a
point where you get to another phase in your life, and I’m
ready for it.” Though UCLA women’s golf coach Forsyth
was focused on her own qualifying bid at Paradise Valley, she
wasn’t the least bit surprised to see Mayorkas’ name
atop the leaderboard. “She’s always just been so
solid,” Forsyth said. By virtue of her performance, Mayorkas
advanced into sectionals, where she will be competing for one of
several qualifying spots for the U.S. Women’s Open at Cherry
Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village, Colo., from June 23 to
June 26.
BRUIN GATHERING: Mayorkas isn’t the only golfer with a
UCLA affiliation to advance to sectional qualifying for the U.S.
Women’s Open. In fact, she’s only one of nine former,
current and soon-to-be Bruin golfers to advance past local
qualifying. Among the individuals on the current team to advance
were Jun (3-over par 75) and Forsyth (2-over par 74), who joined
Mayorkas in advancing from Paradise Valley Country Club in Phoenix.
But the most impressive performance in local qualifying came from
one of UCLA’s star-studded recruits. Tiffany Joh, a member of
the Bruins’ 2005 freshman class, shot a 2-under par 70 at the
PGA of Southern California Golf Club in Beaumont to advance. Jane
Park, UCLA’s top recruit for 2005, already earned an
exemption into the U.S. Women’s Open by winning the 2004 U.S.
Women’s Amateur last August. Former Bruins Kathy Choi Rogers,
Bridget Dwyer, Hana Kim and LaRee Sugg also advanced to sectional
qualifying.
MEN’S GOLFERS QUALIFY: Former Bruins Travis Johnson, John
Merrick and Eddy Lee advanced past local qualifying to sectionals
for the 105th U.S. Open, to be played at Pinehurst No. 2 from June
16 to June 19. UCLA men’s golf coach O.D. Vincent failed to
advance past local qualifying, shooting a 3-over par 74 at the
Angeles National Golf Club in Sunland to tie for 27th place.