USC runs away with tournament title

Victoria Vela laughs after hitting off the 1st tee during the qualifier for the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship Presented by P&G Monday, September 5, 2011 at Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers.
Victoria Vela laughs after hitting off the 1st tee during the qualifier for the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship Presented by P&G Monday, September 5, 2011 at Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers.

Southern California capped its dominating performance at the NCAA women’s golf championships with a flourish Friday, finishing a record 19 under par to rout the 24-team field at the University of Georgia Golf Course in Athens, Ga.

The Trojans, led by medalist Annie Park, finished the four-day event at 1,133 and won by 21 shots over Duke, and no other team was within 40 strokes of the champions.

Arkansas concluded its appearance in the windy, rugged conditions with a round of 21-over 309 to finish in a tie for 13th place at 1,200, 48 over par.

The No. 5 Razorbacks were third among SEC teams, trailing No. 38 Auburn (31-over 1,183) and No. 2 Alabama (37-over 1,189), the defending national champions who collapsed with a 28-over 316 on Friday.

Southern Cal smashed records on its way to victory, with its NCAA championships record 12-under round on Wednesday and its 19-under total beating the previous tournament record by 14 shots.

The Trojans had the benefit of playing their final few holes in more placid conditions after gusting wind had an impact on scores most of the day. While USC had the low round at even par on Friday, the other 23 teams averaged 21 over.

“It was definitely a tough, challenging golf course,” Arkansas Coach Shauna Estes-Taylor said. “The winds were blowing 20-25 mph and gusting to 30 at times.

“It was just hard to pick the right one and you had to stay patient and try not to count a big number. At times we did that and at times we didn’t. It was not the round we wanted to finish with today, but overall as a coach you have to look at the whole body of work and I’m really proud of this team.”

Park, a freshman from Levittown, N.Y., pulled off a postseason trifecta, winning the Pacific-12 championship, an NCAA regional title and the national championship. She completed her 1-under round with a birdie on No. 18 to finish at 10-under 278 and defeat Duke’s Lindy Duncan by six shots. Only three other golfers managed to shoot under par in the 72-hole event.

USC Coach Andrea Gaston led the Trojans to their third national championship in her 17 years at the helm. The Trojans were the first team to have the low round all four days of the championships since 1982, and were the first team to have both the team and individual champions at the NCAAs since 2005.

Arkansas’ top finisher was senior Victoria Vela, who fired a 4-over 76 on Friday and wound up tied for 37th at 10-over 298. Vela had the team’s only under-par round in the tournament with a 1-under 71 on Wednesday.

“I’m a little sad today to see Victoria complete her career as a Razorback,” Estes-Taylor said. “She has just done a fantastic job of getting it done in the classroom and on the golf course. She gave it all she had.”

Junior Emily Tubert fired a 79 in the final round and finished at 13-over 301. Freshman Gabriela Lopez was a stroke behind her at 302 after finishing with a 77.

Junior Emma Lavy and freshman Regina Plasencia each carded 19-over 307.

Leaderboard NCAA WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP University of Georgia Golf Course, Athens, Ga.

Par 72, 6,372 yards TEAM RESULTS

Southern California ..............284-276-285-288-1133 Duke .....................................286-289-287-292-1154 Purdue..................................289-289-295-300-1173

UCLA ....................................289-287-297-301-1174

Arizona State ........................293-287-296-305-1181

Auburn .................................305-292-285-301-1183

Alabama ...............................288-284-301-316-1189

Arizona .................................298-295-297-300-1190

Oklahoma .............................291-291-300-309-1191

Michigan State .....................298-291-298-304-1191

Tulane ...................................295-289-297-310-1191

Oklahoma State ...................303-300-294-296-1193

Arkansas ......................296-293-302-309-1200

Stanford ...............................290-288-301-321-1200

Northwestern .......................298-293-300-310-1201

UC Davis ..............................299-297-294-313-1203 Florida...................................299-298-305-303-1205

Vanderbilt .............................299-289-307-311-1206

San Jose State .....................284-303-295-327-1209

South Carolina .....................304-305-292-310-1211

Texas ....................................299-295-304-315-1213

Oregon .................................301-295-297-324-1217

Wisconsin ............................301-309-297-311-1218

Miss. State ...........................300-302-292-327-1221

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

Annie Park, So. California...............70-67-70-71-278

Lindy Duncan, Duke .......................72-71-71-70-284

Paula Reto, Purdue .........................71-73-70-72-286

Celine Boutier, Duke .......................69-73-71-74-287

Erynne Lee, UCLA...........................71-70-73-73-287

Kyung Kim, So. California ..............74-69-69-77-289

Stephanie Meadow, Alabama .........69-67-73-80-289

Christine Meier, Michigan State .....72-75-69-73-289

Sophia Popov, So. California..........71-70-74-74-289

Noemi Jimenez, Arizona State .......73-68-72-77-290

Ally McDonald, Miss. State ............70-69-70-81-290

Marta Sanz, Auburn ........................79-69-68-74-290

Andrea Vilarasau, Arizona ..............72-72-76-70-290

ALSO Victoria Vela, Arkansas ......................74-71-77-76-298

Emily Tubert, Arkansas ......................75-73-74-79-301

Gabriela Lopez, Arkansas ..................74-76-75-77-302

Emma Lavy, Arkansas .......................73-78-76-80-307

Regina Plasencia, Arkansas ..............77-73-80-77-307

Sports, Pages 26 on 05/25/2013

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