Although the Bruins did not take home the team title, sophomore Zoe Antoinette Campos struck gold for the first time in her career.
UCLA women’s golf competed at the Anuenue Spring Break Classic in Maui, Hawaii from Monday through Wednesday. Led by Campos’ tournament-winning 12-under 204, the blue and gold finished in third place with a team score of 10-under 854 – one stroke behind second-place Denver. Alongside Campos’ first-place finish, three other Bruins landed in the top 20.
UCLA faced a field of 14 teams and 80 players at the 54-hole tournament. The Bruins sat solidly in third place throughout the entire event, with a seven-stroke differential between them and fourth-place Cal Poly.
Coach Carrie Forsyth said she was most proud of the team’s ability to overcome putting challenges they faced on the first day.
“As the rounds went on, I think they got more comfortable with reading the greens and the grain,” Forsyth said. “I was happy to see that shift of not putting well to actually putting quite well.”
Prior to this tournament, Campos’ best collegiate score was a 68. During the first and second rounds, however, she bested her previous career high with a 6-under 66 and a 5-under 67, respectively.
The first round of any tournament has the least amount of pressure on players’ scores, according to Campos.
“During the first round there is not a lot to think about besides just playing your game,” Campos said. “Even though it is the lowest score that I’ve shot throughout the season and in my college career, I had done it before.”
Senior Annabel Wilson also tied her season-best score during round two. She carded a 3-under 69, allowing her to ultimately finish in a tie for 11th place. Wilson and sophomore Caroline Canales were two of 11 players to record an eagle during the tournament and were the only Bruins to achieve that feat.
Wilson said she found success with her iron shot.
“If you hit a good tee shot, you can get up in two,” Wilson said. “That was the situation with me. I was able to make a nice shot in and make the putt.”
After rounds one and two, Campos led the field by one stroke. She maintained the position for much of the third round, but slipped into second place after the 15th hole when Denver’s Alyson Bean scored her fifth birdie of the day.
Both Bean and Campos parred holes 16 and 17, leaving hole 18 to determine the winner. Bean quadruple-bogeyed on the hole, whereas Campos scored another par, pushing her into a first-place finish.
Campos said her goal for the final hole was to play aggressively.
“I hit my tee shot way left, but then my playing partner hit it in the water,” Campos said. “That’s when I knew I had a chance.”
The Bruins’ season is heading towards the championship stretch as they have one more tournament remaining before the Pac-12 championships – the Silverado Showdown.
Forsyth said her goal for the team in this final stretch is to become more well-rounded.
“We need more depth,” Forsyth said. “We need our four and five players to step-up a little bit and support the rest of the roster. I think that’s going to happen, but that’s really key for us in the postseason.”
Source: Daily Bruin