May 12, 2012
The San Diego State women's golf team saw its 2011-12 season come to an end Saturday as it finished in a tie for 20th place with Augusta State at the NCAA East Regional in State College, Pa. The Aztecs shot a final-round 313 for a 54-hole total of 59-over 923 at the par-72, 6,253-yard Penn State Blue Course.
"I'm proud of our team and they have been an awesome group to work with this season," said SDSU first-year head coach Leslie Spalding. "For me, it's been a good learning experience and we've shown some of what we can accomplish and what the future of our program can be."
Junior Gina Clark (Murrieta, Calif.) was the Aztecs' top finisher for the second time this year, coming in 29th following her final round 75. Clark carded the squad's only birdies with those coming on the 15th and 18th. She was even-par through 11, but had two bad holes on the front nine with a double bogey on the par-4 third and a bogey on the par-4 seventh. Clark ended the three-day event at 6-over 222, which is her best effort this spring by four strokes. She is also the first Aztec to finish in the top 30 at an NCAA regional since 2010, and the fifth player overall to accomplish that feat in SDSU's nine all-time appearances.
SDSU junior Christine Wong (Richmond, B.C.), who had five birdies in the second round, started off the afternoon with 10 consecutive pars. She then sandwiched four more pars with a pair of bogeys on the second and seventh holes. Wong rounded out the day with a par and a double bogey to slip from 40th into 51st place with a 226.
The Aztecs' final three golfers all carded their highest scores of the tournament. Senior Malin Enarsson (Gothenburg, Sweden) finished out her SDSU career with a 9-over 81 to end up in 101st place at 21-over 237. Junior Alessia Knight (Bologna, Italy) was 3-over making the turn to the front nine, but then had four bogeys and a double bogey to card a final-round 81 and finish 108th with a 240. Freshman Amy Alston (Mission Viejo, Calif.) completed the Aztec contingent in a tie for 117th place at 33-over 249.
South Carolina held onto the team lead after all three rounds, winning by five strokes over both Texas A&M and Texas with a 9-over 873. Aggie Katerina Ruzickova claimed the individual title by two strokes and was one of only two golfers to finish under par at 3-under 213.
San Diego State finished the first year of the Spalding era with its third-straight NCAA regional appearance (a first in school history), its best finish at the Mountain West Conference championships in a decade (third), a team title and two individual medalist honors.
2012 NCAA East Regional
State College, Pa.
Penn State Blue Course - Par 72, 6,253 yards
Final Results - 54 Holes
Team Scoring (Top 5 of 24, plus SDSU)
1 South Carolina 288-294-291-873 (+9)2 Texas A&M 296-296-286-878 (+14) Texas 296-300-282-878 (+14)4 Alabama 292-297-290-879 (+15) Florida 294-297-288-879 (+15)T-20 San Diego State 311-299-313-923 (+59)
Individuals (Top 6 Individuals out of 126)1 Katerina Ruzickova, Texas A&M 67-73-73-213 (-3)2 Jennifer Kirby, Alabama 71-74-70-215 (-1)3 Four tied 216 (E)
San Diego State GolfersT29 Gina Clark 75-72-75-222 (+6)T51 Christine Wong 79-71-76-226 (+10)101 Malin Enarsson 79-77-81-237 (+21)T108 Alessia Knight 80-79-81-240 (+24)T117 Amy Alston 78-84-87-249 (+33)