April 22, 2006
ST. GEORGE, Utah - Da Sol Chung won medalist honors in a one-hole playoff and UNLV women's golf grabbed the first-round lead and never relinquished it in winning its third-straight Mountain West Conference Tournament Championship on Saturday afternoon at the Entrada at Snow Canyon course.
The No. 12-ranked Rebels shot a total of 895 (291-303-301, +31) on the Entrada at Snow Canyon Course and won by five strokes over New Mexico (303-295-302--900, +36) as UNLV was led by Chung. Only a freshman, Chung became the third-different Rebel to win medalist honors in as many years, joining current teammate Elena Kurokawa (2005) and Sunny Oh (2004).
Chung (76-73-73--222, +6) led Mikaela Backstedt and Py Bengtsson of New Mexico by one stroke, but Chung bogied 18, dropping her into a three-way tie for the lead and forcing a playoff. It didn't take long for Chung to break the tie, as she birdied the first playoff hole to win the individual title, compared to pars by Backstedt and Bengtsson.
The difference for the Rebels on Saturday compared to UNM was that while the Lobos had two players tied for medalist honors, UNLV had a total of four in the top seven to lead them to the title.
UNLV senior Elena Kurokawa, last year's conference player of the year, finished tied for fifth, carding a three-round total of 225 (75-74-76, +9). She was followed by teammates Seema Sadekar and Grace Woo, who both finished tied for seventh, playing basically identical tournaments.
The duo each had a share of the opening round lead after shooting even-par 72s, then shot six-over 78 in the second round and then Sadekar and Woo each closed the tournament with a three-over 76 for a total of 226 (+10).
Young Pak (72-81-83--236, +20), who had joined Sadekar and Woo atop the first-round leaderboard after shooting an opening-round 72 on Thursday, struggled the rest of the tournament, finishing tied for 23rd.
Following the Rebels and the Lobos was BYU (300-304-303--907, +43) which finished third, league newcomer TCU (312-294-321--927, +63) finished fourth, San Diego State (310-302-318--930, +66) came in fourth followed by Colorado State (311-302-321--934, +70) and Wyoming (321-320-313--954, +90).
With the win the Rebels earned the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship and UNLV will find out Monday, May 1, which of the three regional tournaments it will be sent to. UNLV and New Mexico are the only two schools to ever win a MWC Tournament title as the Lobos won the first four and the Rebels the last three.
Team Standings Scores
1. UNLV 291 + 303 + 301= 895 (+31)2. New Mexico 303 + 295 + 302 = 900 (+36)3. BYU 300 + 304 + 303 = 907 (+43)4. TCU 312 + 294 + 321 = 927 (+63)5. San Diego State 310 + 302 + 318 = 930 (+66)6. Colorado State 311 + 302 + 321 = 934 (+70)7. Wyoming 321+ 320 + 313 = 954 (+90)
Individual Scores
1. Da Sol Chung, UNLV 76 + 73 + 73 = 222 (+6) Playoff Winner Py Bengtsson, New Mexico 76 + 72 + 74 = 222 (+6) Mikaela Backstedt, New Mexico 72 + 73 + 77 = 222 (+6)4. Mikala Henzlik, Wyoming 79 + 75 + 70 = 224 (+8)5. Elena Kurokawa, UNLV 75 + 74 + 76 = 225 (+9) Ashlety Childres, BYU 76 + 78 + 71 = 225 (+9)7. Rachel Newren, BYU 72 + 77 + 77 = 226 (+10) Seema Sadekar, UNLV 72 + 78 + 76 = 226 (+10) Grace Woo, UNLV 72 + 78 + 76 = 226 (+10)10. Catherine Matranga, TCU 73 + 71 + 83 = 227 +11) Chelsea Benton, Colorado State 77 + 72 + 78 = 227 (+11)
