March 20, 2011

Complete Results in PDF Format | Live Scoring

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Paced by Amy Simanton's 1-under 71 and four Aggies in the top 35, the No. 18 UC Davis women's golf team made an early statement at the Battle at Rancho Bernardo Inn, finishing the day in second place and in front of five teams ranked in the top 10.

The high-powered tournament features 16 of its 17 teams ranked in Golfstat's top 50 with the Aggies - who fired a 6-over 294 - trailing only third-ranked UCLA by one shot. Seventh-ranked Purdue (295), No. 9 Arizona State (297) and top-ranked USC (299) are each behind UC Davis in the top five.

"It was a great first round from the team," said head coach Anne Walker. "They were patient, mature and well-disciplined in their play today. The conditions were very trying, particularly when we were playing later in the day and I am so proud of the way this team handled them.

"Tomorrow we are expecting some more (tough) weather but we will continue to just play one shot at a time," she added.

Eighth-ranked Arizona (303) is tied for sixth and No. 10 Cal (306) is in 10th. Altogether, the Aggies are in front of six teams ranked higher than them. But the tournament is shaping up to be a close one. Just six strokes separate the top five teams while the top 10 are within 13 of each other.

UC Davis, though, is right near the top thanks to outstanding play from four players who are among the top 35. Simanton's 71 left her in a tie for third with Stephanie Kono of UCLA and Cydney Clanton of Auburn, and only two back of leader Giulia Molinaro of Arizona State.

Aggie freshman Jessica Chulya had a 73 and is tied for 11th, sophomore Demi Runas posted a 74 and is tied for 19th, and senior Alice Kim shot a 76 and is tied for 35th. Senior Chelsea Stelzmiller finished with an 81 and is tied for 72nd.

Simanton, from Lake Oswego, Ore., played her front nine 3 under after a trio of birdies and then had two more on the back to help her come in with a 71. Through 12 holes, she was 3 under with no bogeys and nine pars to go with her three birdies.

Jessica Chulya also had a strong round for UC Davis, like Simanton playing the front nine under par. Her birdies on the par-5 third and eighth holes helped her make the turn 1 under. Runas had three birdies over her first six holes to help counter two early bogeys before carding nine pars over the remainder of her round to help finish just 2 over.

Seven pars, a birdie and just one bogey helped Kim play her front nine even before she played the back 4 over to card a 76. Stelzmiller had two birdies over the first four holes but finished 9 over for the day.

The Aggies are coming off a first-place finish in at the Fresno State Lexus Classic earlier this month and have a trio of top-three finishes so far this spring. They'll tee off Monday's second round beginning at 10:30 a.m. and will play with UCLA and Purdue.

The 54-hole event concludes on Tuesday.

BATTLE AT RANCHO BERNARDO
San Diego, Calif. (hosted by San Diego State)
Rancho Bernardo Inn Championship Golf Course
Par 72, 6,336 yards
18 of 54 holes

TEAMS
1. UCLA, 293
2. UC DAVIS, 294
3. Purdue, 295
4. Arizona State, 297
5. Southern California, 299
T6. Texas, 303
T6. Arizona, 303
8. UNLV, 304
9. Auburn, 305
10. Cal, 306
T11. Oregon, 309
T11. San Diego State, 309
13. Georgia, 310
14. Pepperdine, 311
15. New Mexico, 312
16. Denver, 314
17. TCU, 322

INDIVIDUALS
1. Giulia Molinaro, Arizona State, 69

UC DAVIS
T3. Amy Simanton, 71
T11. Jessica Chulya, 73
T19. Demi Runas, 74
T35. Alice Kim, 76
T72. Chelsea Stelzmiller, 81