Teams pursue dominance.
But when a squad peaks too early, staying ahead can quickly become a battle to not fall behind.
No. 13 UCLA women’s golf took third place at the Huntington Bank Collegiate tournament at Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas. Although the Bruins stood in first place after two rounds of competition Monday, they fell to third in Tuesday’s concluding round, posting a score of 18-under 846.
Despite the slip, the Bruins still finished on the podium in a 17-team field, trailing only No. 21 Oklahoma State and No. 25 SMU.
The performance was also highlighted by a pair of top-five individual finishes.
No. 74 freshman Kacey Ly earned her best finish of the season, carding 10-under 206 to take third place.
She recorded a pair of eagles and only eight bogeys throughout the 54 holes. The result marks her fourth top-five result since February.
“I play strategically – how I can score well, even if I’m not in the best position,” Ly said. “My game was pretty solid throughout the week, so (I was) able to rely on that and see when I can be aggressive.”
Ly was closely followed by No. 45 Jen Lee, who posted a season-low 9-under 207 to take fourth.
The sophomore climbed five spots in the final round, logging five birdies over her last nine holes.
Although the squad may not have finished on top, coach Alicia Um Holmes said she was proud of the group’s ability to stay in contention after posting 19-over and 10-over at the GameAbove and PING/ASU Invitationals, respectively, in March – both resulting in seventh-place finishes.
Um Holmes added that the change came with a mental shift, as Lee expressed more visible enjoyment than in previous outings.
“Starting this season, I was unintentionally too focused on results and the scores,” Lee said. “Coaches kept telling me I should focus on (the) process and routine and what I want to learn from each tournament. That made me stay in the moment and enjoy the rounds.”
Senior Meghan Royal finished next for the Bruins, tying for No. 26 at 1-over 217 after dropping 12 spots with a 3-over final round Tuesday.
Freshman GaEun Athena Yoo also slipped, falling from No. 12 to No. 34 after recording two double bogeys.
The group was rounded out by junior Jennifer Seo, whose 4-over 220 tied for No. 40 in a 91-person field.
Trinity Forest Golf Club is a links-style course, resembling coastal terrain with firm conditions, natural dunes, fewer trees and increased wind.
Um Holmes said the layout reduced pressure off the tee and allowed for freer swings, while Ly added that it made it more difficult to distinguish where holes began and ended.
With their last regular-season contest under their belt, the Bruins turn to the Big Ten Championship, which will kick off April 24 in Glendale.
“For everyone, this gives them a boost of confidence heading into the postseason,” Um Holmes said. “We still have a few things with scoring elements that could get better and a little bit of course management that we need to discuss. But they’re on the right track. They’re trending in the right direction.”
Comments are closed.