The ASU women's golf team entered the Pac-12 Championship as the No. 10 team in the nation, placing them behind only No. 2 USC, No. 6 Stanford and No. 1 UCLA of Pac-12 schools, according to Golfweek.
It was a slow start on day one at the Pac-12 Championship for the Lady Devils. After their opening 18 holes, only junior Monica Vaughn and freshman Linnea Strom boasted under-par scores.
Vaughn sat in 4th place after a round of three-under (69) that was highlighted by five birdies to the tune of just two bogeys.
Strom, meanwhile, fired an opening-round 71 (one-under) to put her in a tie for 16th after day one. At one point during her round, Strom reached four-under par but back-to-back bogeys on the 14th and 15th holes and a bogey on the par-3 17th hole dropped her back to the cluster of players at one-under.
With the efforts by Vaughn and Strom and an even par round by sophomore Roberta Liti, the women of ASU found themselves in third place at a score of three-under par after the opening round of the Pac-12 Tournament.
Round Two
The Lady Devils wasted no time jumping up the leaderboard in round two. Vaughn, Strom and sophomore Sophia Zeeb each birdied the par-4 first hole to gain three quick strokes on the leaders.
At the turn, all five Sun Devil players were at even par or better for the round.
After four birdies and no bogeys on the front nine, Strom played her back nine in even par to turn in a second-round score of four-under (68). After her rounds of 71 and 68, Strom positioned herself in a tie for fourth place heading into the final round four strokes back on the leader USC junior Gabriella Then (-9).
With even par second rounds from Liti, Vaughn and freshman Madison Kerley, the Lady Devils totaled a four under round of 284 sitting in fourth place as the championship entered the final day.
Final Round
The final round began nearly flawlessly as all Sun Devil players again made the turn with scores of even par or better.
The back nine is where the excitement began to unfold, particularly for Strom.
With birdies on holes 10, 11 and 13, Strom soon found herself tied atop the leaderboard with UCLA junior Bronte Law. With two holes still to play, Strom had a chance to put herself in the driver's seat.
After a par on the par-three 17th hole, Strom stood on the 18th tee box with one hole left to finish out her first Pac-12 Championship.
Strom proceeded to birdie the hole, not only taking the clubhouse lead at eleven-under, but also breaking the Pac-12 Championship scoring record by one stroke. The record was set last year by Oregon's Caroline Inglis.
Strom becomes the 10th winner since 1987 to hail from Arizona State University.
ASU finished the championship in third place behind UCLA (runner up) and USC (winner).
With rounds of 69, 72 and 69, Monica Vaughn also recorded a top ten finish (T5).
Related links:
Inconsistency leads to ASU men's golf downfall at Western Intercollegiate
By the numbers: Everything you need to know before the PING/ASU Invitational
Reach the reporter at Braxton.Fox@asu.edu or follow @braxton_fox_II on Twitter.
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