Oct. 16, 2011
Vanderbilt’s women’s golf team proved that it belonged on the national stage this weekend at the Stanford Intercollegiate, finishing second in a strong field to current number-one UCLA and shattering a team-scoring record in the process. The Commodores finished at seven-under par, 845 (281-279-285), three strokes back of the Bruins and seven strokes better than their all-time three-round stroke record set back in 2010 at the SEC Championship in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Senior Marina Alex and junior Lauren Stratton each finished in the top 10 for Vanderbilt, with Alex tying for fourth on the individual leaderboard with a 207 (65-71-71) and Stratton tying for sixth at 208 (72-67-69). The Commodores posted four rounds in the 60’s, including an opening-round 65 from Alex, and held off Washington for second place by two strokes.
VU’s second-place finish was their best as a team since the 2010 SEC Championship, when the Commodores ended the tournament second behind host Alabama.
Junior Lauren Stratton paced the Vanderbilt effort on Sunday, firing a two-under par 69. Stratton made four birdies on the day, including one on the par-three, 163-yard 14th, where she made a triple-bogey on Saturday. Alex shot an even-par 71 on Sunday, freshman Irina Gabasa fired a one-over par, 72, fellow freshman Kendall Martindale shot a two-over 73, and junior Anna Leigh Keith carded a 76 on Sunday.
SooBin Kim of Washington won medalist honors, firing a 13-under par, 200 (66-68-66), for the weekend. Stephanie Kono of UCLA played as an individual and finished second with a 202.
Vanderbilt returns to the course October 21-23 at the Mercedes Benz SEC-Pac 12 Challenge in Knoxville, Tenn., at the Holston Hills Country Club in their final tournament of the fall season.
2. Vanderbilt 281-279-285=845
T4. Marina Alex – 65-71-71-207
T6. Lauren Stratton – 72-67-69=208
T39. Kendall Martindale – 73-72-73=218
T39. Irina Gabasa – 77-69-72=218
T47. Anna Leigh Keith – 71-72-76=219
