The race for the Big West Conference Championship came down to the last hole on Tuesday afternoon at the San Luis Obispo Country Club as No. 48 Long Beach State won the team championship by one-stroke over No. 24 UC Irvine and UC Davis. This is the first conference championship for the women’s golf program.
The 49ers went into Tuesday’s final round with a two-stroke lead over second place Davis and six-strokes over Irvine. But in the final round, the Anteaters came roaring back with a tournament low of 303 and the Aggies with a 307 as both teams finished with a 930. LBSU carded a 20-over par 308 to finish with a 929.
The Aggies had tied with The Beach going into the last two holes with senior All-American Kay Hoey paired with Chelsea Stelzmiller and freshman Lee Lopez paired with Alice Kim. Hoey and Lopez would both bogey at the par-four No. 18 hole, while Stelzmiller shot an even-par and Kim bogeyed on the last two holes.
Lopez was the 49ers’ top finisher as she recorded a 78 in the final round for a 12-over 228 to finish in a four-way tie for second place. She shot a 74 and 76 on Monday to tie for first place.
Hoey finished second for LBSU, with a 78 for a three-round total of 17-over 233 to tie for seventh. Hoey had one birdie and one double-bogey on the front nine, but came away five bogeys on the back nine. She scored a 76 and 79 on the first day to tie for sixth.
Junior Brenda Chhuor improved by four shots with a 75 to move up in the standings to tie for 12th. She recorded an 83 and 79 on Monday to finish in 18th. Chhuor finished the tournament with a 21-over 237.
Sophomore Reina Rogers carded an 83 in Tuesday’s final round to finish in 17th with a 24-over 240. Rogers tied for 10th after the second round on Monday as she shot a 75 and 82.
After shooting an 85 and 79, sophomore Lindsey McAtee came back with a 77 to move up two spots in the standings to finish tied for 18th. She was the only 49er to record four birdies in the final round.
The All-Big West Conference awards were announced at the conclusion of the tournament as Hoey and Lopez were named to the First Team and Lopez garnering Freshman of the Year honors, while head coach Sue Ewart received her second Coach of the Year award. Ewart received the honor in 2006, when the 49ers advanced to their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
The regionals for women will be held at three sites, including the West Regional at the Karsten Golf Course in Tempe, Ariz., from May 7-9, with the four-day NCAA Women¹s Golf Championship scheduled for May 19-22 at the Caves Valley Golf Club in Owing Mills, Maryland.
2009 All-Big West Conference Awards – First Team: Stephanie Yocum, Cal Poly. Jennifer Bermingham, UC Riverside. Alice Kim, UC Davis. Chelsea Stelzmiller, UC Davis. Kay Hoey, Long Beach State. Lee Lopez, Long Beach State Second Team: Joy Trotter, UC Irvine. Patty Chawalitmetha, UC Irvine. Hilary Packard, UC Irvine. Hannah Brabb, Cal Poly
Coach of the Year Sue Ewart (Long Beach State)
Freshman of the Year Lee Lopez (Long Beach State
Report By LBSU Sports Information Department