April 21, 2008
Big West Conference Championships (results and live scoring).
RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif. -- Freshman Chelsea Stelzmiller highlighted the second-place UC Davis women's golf team's first day at the Big West Conference Championships on Monday with a 2-under 70 in the first round and enjoys a four-stroke lead after 36 holes.
Stelzmiller, from Placerville, shot a 74 in the second round for a 36-hole total of 144 at the par-72, 6,149-yard Tijeras Creek Golf Club. She is the only competitor in the 30-player field not above par going into Tuesday's final round.
The Aggies are in second place after the first two rounds with a 41-over 617. UC Davis led Cal Poly by a shot after shooting 305 in the first round but carded a 312 in the afternoon while leader and three-time defending champion UC Irvine roared to the front with a 295. The Anteaters are at 607, 10 shots in front of the Aggies.
The tournament's winner earns an automatic berth into the NCAA West Regional at Lincoln Hills in May.
UC Davis is playing in the Big West Conference Championship for the third consecutive year but the first as an official member of the league. It played as a non-scoring participant the previous two years.
Aggie senior Syndey Roughton is tied for 12th at 13-over 157 while freshmen Alice Kim and Katie Sisler are tied for 14th one shot behind Roughton. Kim had a 75 in the first round, highlighted by eight pars over her first nine holes. Junior Bryana Gregory had an 82 in the first round but had her second-round score disqualified.
Stelzmiller opened the championship with birdies on two of her first three holes on her way to a 3-under 33 as she made the turn. She ended with seven pars and a birdie to help key her run to a 70. Stelzmiller had 13 pars to pace her 74 in the second round. She leads Patty Chawalitmetha of UC Irvine by four shots and the Anteaters' Kim Lorenza by six.
Cal Poly is in third place at 46-over 622, five shots behind the Aggies, with UC Riverside in fourth, Cal State Northridge in fifth and Long Beach State in sixth.
BIG WEST CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.
Tijeras Creek Golf Club
Par 72, 6,149 yards
36 of 54 holes
TEAM
1. UC Irvine, 312-295-607
2. UC Davis, 305-312-617
3. Cal Poly, 306-316-622
4. UC Riverside, 308-320-628
5. Cal State Northridge, 327-302-629
6. Long Beach State, 316-321-637
INDIVIDUALS
1. Chelsea Stelzmiller, UCD, 70-74-144
UC DAVIS
T12. Sydney Roughton, 78-79-157
T14. Alice Kim, 75-83-158
T14. Katie Sisler, 82-76-158
Bryana Gregory, 82-D.
