ARROYO GRANDE, Calif. – The Santa Clara University women's golf team has done it again, winning the 2011 Lamkin Grip Cal Poly Invitational at Cypress Ridge Golf Course near Pismo Beach – the second consecutive tournament title for the Broncos and second-year head coach Krystal Kelly.
Junior transfer Balbina Guajardo – last season's Great West Conference Player of the Year at Houston Baptist - won her first tournament as a Bronco. The native of Monterrey, Mexico entered the day three shots off the lead, and fought off tough scoring conditions to card an even-par 73 in Tuesday's final round.
"It was actually a bit surprising and happened really fast," explained Kelly, about learning Guajardo had won the tournament. "There was a barbeque afterwards and it was a quick turnaround to announce the awards. When two other individuals were announced before Balbina, we all looked at each other and figured she must have won. It was pretty special."
"I knew I might have been close but really had no idea because I was not paired with the leader," said Guajardo. "I was playing my game and it worked out. One thing I have been really focusing on is my putting. I have been working with Coach (Kelly) on some new things and that really paid off."
The Broncos were coming off a team victory at its own SCU Colby Invitational on Oct. 25, an event won by Santa Clara's All-West Coast Conference sophomore Taylor Camany. Camany finished with a final-round 79 this week at Cypress Ridge and was again among the top finishers.
The event marked Santa Clara's final event of the fall season. The team will return to tournament action February 18-19, 2012 at Stanford's Peg Barnard's Invitational.
"This is something they will not forget," said Kelly. "We are still enjoying the moment right now, but this is really going to help our practice moving forward over the break and into the spring. I think this will help us carry the momentum through to January."
"This team really has a special bond right now," added Guajardo. "I see us having an even stronger team next quarter."
FINAL TEAM LEADERBOARD
1 Santa Clara Univ. 319 309 628
2 CSU-Northridge 326 310 636
3 Cal Poly 323 315 638
Grand Canyon Univ. 323 315 638
5 Northern Arizona 326 315 641
6 UC - Riverside 331 313 644
7 Weber State Univ. 326 324 650
8 California Baptist U 337 327 664
9 Southern Utah Univ. 337 329 666
10 CSU-San Marcos 342 329 671
11 Point Loma Nazarene 342 337 679
12 CSU-East Bay 342 338 680
FINAL INDIVIDUAL LEADERBOARD
1 Balbina Guajardo SantaClara 77 73 150
2 Amelia Ek UC-Rvrside 78 73 151
Stephanie Kim No Arizona 74 77 151
4 Charlotte Jaengkit Gnd Canyon 76 76 152
5 Monica Jung So. Utah 80 73 153
Margo Dionisio CSUN 77 76 153
Asia Adell Cal Poly 77 76 153
8 Kelsey Chugg Weber St. 80 76 156
Laura Howard Cal Poly 77 79 156
10 Taylor Camany SantaClara 78 79 157
SANTA CLARA RESULTS
1 Santa Clara Univ. 319 309 628
1 Balbina Guajardo 77 73 150
10 Taylor Camany 78 79 157
T 14 Tamara Surtees 83 76 159
T 19 Brooke Stephens 81 81 162
T 33 Casey Briggs SantaClara 82 84 166
T 40 Kaci McCartan SantaClara 84 83 167
54 Morgan McClure 84 87 171
60 Kelsy O'Brien SantaClara 89 85 174
2011 Lamkin Grip Cal Poly Women's Invitational
Dates (site): Monday and Tuesday, November 7-8, 2011
Cypress Ridge Golf Course, Arroyo Grande, CA
Host: Cal Poly SLO
Tournament Field (11 teams): Cal State Northridge (109), Northern Arizona (124), UC Riverside (155), Cal Poly (158), Southern Utah (168), Santa Clara (174), Weber State (186), Point Loma Nazarene, Cal State Monterey Bay, Grand Canyon, Cal State San Marcos
Details: 36 holes: Each team will field a team of five players, with some teams also fielding non-scoring individuals … Sunday, Nov. 6 -- Check-in (10 a.m.) and practice round (11 a.m. shotgun start); Team dinner to follow at 6 p.m. … Monday, Nov. 7 -- Round 1, 8 a.m. shotgun start … Tuesday, Nov. 8 -- Round 2, split tee times from 8 to 10 a.m.
Course: Cypress Ridge Golf Course, Arroyo Grande, CA (par 73, 6,215 yards)
Website: www.CypressRidge.com
Course Number/Address: (805) 474-7979
780 Cypress Ridge Parkway Arroyo Grande, CA 93420
Results: www.GoPoly.com
*rankings by GolfStat.com
