Breakthrough

It took just three tournaments for the Colorado State University women’s golf team to make its mark under new head coach Laura Cilek.

After not scoring a major team victory in a tournament since March 2010, the Rams ended the drought on Sunday on Colorado soil.

With three consecutive under-par rounds, CSU (left in a team photo) prevailed by 11 strokes at the Ron Moore Women’s Intercollegiate at the newly-renamed University of Denver Golf Club at Highlands Ranch, which was formerly known as Highlands Ranch Golf Club.

And to add to the accomplishment, CSU junior Ellen Secor claimed the individual title, her first as a college golfer.

In fact, CSU put three players in the top five individually, with senior Katrina Prendergast (second) and freshman Saga Traustadottir (fifth) joining Secor on the leaderboard. Of course, Secor and Prendergast teamed up to win the national U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball title in May.

The Rams shot their second straight round of 1-under-par 287 to finish at 4-under 860, 11 better then the University of Mississippi. The host University of Denver, the 2017 champion, placed ninth in the 16-team field at 900, while the University of Northern Colorado was 12th at 904. UNC’s Beah Cruz also placed in the top-10 individually by tying for ninth at 218. Sophie Newlove led Denver by finishing 16th at 220.

Secor fired a 1-under-par 71 on Sunday for a total of 3-under 213, good for a one-stroke victory over Prendergast and Ole Miss’ Conner Beth Ball, the latter closing with a 66. Secor played her back nine in 3-under 33 on Sunday.

Ron Moore Women’s Intercollegiate
Oct. 5-7, 2018 (final) at University of Denver Golf Club at Highlands Ranch

1. Colorado State 286-287-287–860
1. Ellen Secor 72-70-71–213
2. Katrina Prendergast 72-72-70–214
5. Saga Traustadottir 70-73-73–216
30. Jessica Sloot 76-72-76–224
42. Haley Greb 72-82-73–227
Competing Only as Individual
44. Sydney Smith 78-74-76–228

9. Denver 300-293-307–900
16. Sophie Newlove 72-76-72–220
24. Mary Weinstein 76-73-74–223
44. Alison Armstrong 73-75-80–228
64. Alyson Bean 79-69-83–231
85. Maggie Cowart 80-82-81–243
Competing Only as Individuals
30. Camile Enright 73-75-76–224
50. Trussy Li 74-74-81–229
72. Anni Heck 77-82-73–233

12. Northern Colorado 304-303-297–904
9. Beah Cruz 74-71-73–218
44. Marisa Hisaki 75-79-74–228
50. Morgan Sahm 77-79-73–229
69. Nicole Polivchak 78-74-80–232
88. Jenna Chun 82-86-77–245
Competing Only as Individual
72. Hanna Atkins 78-77-78–233

Also
13. Coloradan Erin Sargent, Wyoming 71-78-70–219
42. Coloradan Sarah Hankins, Wyoming 74-76-77–227

For all the scores from the Ron Moore Women’s Intercollegiate, CLICK HERE.