May 24, 2013
The Vanderbilt women’s golf team ended the 2013 NCAA Championship at the UGA Golf Course in Athens, Ga., with a final score of 1206 (299-289-307-311), which was good for a 18th-place finish at the four-day tournament. Freshman Jenny Hahn led all Commodore players, carding a top 20 finish and finishing in a tie for 17th with a final score of 293 (71-67-79-76).
Vanderbilt fired a final-round total of 23 over-par, 311, after teeing off in the first group of the morning wave off of the number one tee.
The Commodores encountered much tougher conditions than the previous three days, with much cooler temperatures and a brisk breeze that gusted to over 30 miles per hour at times. Couple the conditions with arguably the most challenging pin positions of the week, and the UGA Golf Course showed its teeth to the nation’s best. In the morning wave, Oklahoma State, who played with the Commodores, posted the best round with an eight-over par, and in the afternoon, USC had the best score of the day with a one-over, 289.
Sophomore Irina Gabasa had Vanderbilt’s best individual round on Friday with a two-over par, 74. Senior Lauren Stratton birdied three of her last five holes and carded a four-over par, 76, in her final round as a Commodore. Hahn also finished with a final-round 76, while sophomore Kendall Martindale ended Friday with an 84 and Rene Sobolewski an 87.
“That was a really disappointing way to end a very good season where we spent much of the spring ranked inside the top 10,” said Vanderbilt head coach Greg Allen. “The conditions were really tough today and I’m proud of how Stratty, Irina and Jenny hung in there.”
Number one-ranked USC claimed the team title by an astounding 21 strokes with a final total of 19-under par, 1133 (284-276-285-288) . Duke finished runner up, with Purdue ending the tournament in third and UCLA in fourth.
Individually, Annie Park of USC also won the individual title in runaway fashion with a 10-under par, 278 (70-67-70-71). Lindy Duncan of Duke finished second, and Purdue’s Paula Reto ended the tournament in third.
18. Vanderbilt – 299-289-307-311=1206
T17 Jenny Hahn – 71-67-79-76=293
T36. Irina Gabasa – 74-72-77-74=297
T68. Lauren Stratton – 77-75-76-76=304
T104. Kendall Martindale – 77-75-75-85=312
126. Rene Sobolewski – 85-80-84-87=336
