May 7, 2011
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -
The No. 5 California Golden Bear women's golf team is headed to the NCAA National Championships for the first time since 2006 after finishing in fifth place at the NCAA East Regional in Daytona Beach, Florida. Pia Halbig was the top finisher for the Bears, coming in second place among the individuals.
"It was a really big day for the Bears. We are really psyched to be going to Nationals!" said head coach Nancy McDaniel.
The East Regional, played at the par-72, 6,271 yard LPGA International Legends Course in Daytona Beach, Florida, featured 24 teams with the top eight finishers advancing to the NCAA National Championships in College Station, Texas. The top eight teams from the West and Central Regionals will create the final field of 24 teams at the National Championships.
The Bears entered the final round in sixth place. Cal dropped two strokes off their second round score to log a five-over 293 in the final round, finishing in fifth place, one stroke ahead of sixth-place Purdue, and 12 strokes ahead of the eighth-place cut line. Alabama won the regional, 12 strokes ahead of Cal.
"We put three really good rounds together in a place, Florida, where we don't usually play," McDaniel said. "It was windy here, but relatively good weather. Navigating the wind and the different grasses were our biggest challenges."
Senior Pia Halbig had another strong round, shooting a two-under 70 for the second day in a row. She had four birdies in her first nine holes, including birdieing two of her first three holes. Halbig finished the tournament at three-under and in second place in the field of 126 athletes. Junior Emily Childs saved her best round for last, coming in with an even-par 72. She had four birdies, two bogeys and a double. Junior Joanne Lee went two-over for the final round.
"We got stellar play from Daniela Holmqvist in the first two rounds," McDaniel said. "Dani and Pia put us in the position to finish where we did. Joanne Lee once again was rock solid for us all three rounds. Emily Childs really came through today when we needed her. And Nicola Roessler went even-par on the back nine. That solid play down the stretch really helped us."
This is Cal's seventh trip to Nationals. They went each year from 2001 to 2006. This will be the first trip to the National Championships for each of the current members of the Cal golf team. They will compete in a four-day, 72-hole competition in College Station Texas May 18-21.
"[Assistant Coach] Anna Temple and I are really proud of this team, of all of their hard work this season. They got what they truly deserved, a trip to the National Championships! We are so proud. The Bears are back!"
California Scores
5 California 290 295 293 878
2 Pia Halbig 73 70 70 213
T31 Joanne Lee 73 75 74 222
T38 Daniela Holmqvist 70 72 81 223
43 Emily Childs 74 78 72 224
T69 Nicola Roessler 74 79 77 230
Team Rankings
1 Alabama
+2 F +7 287 284 295 866
2 North Carolina
+4 F +5 293 282 293 868
3 Arizona State
+7 F E 295 288 288 871
4 Coastal Carolina
+12 F +4 286 298 292 876
5 California
+14 F +5 290 295 293 878
6 Purdue
+15 F +11 295 285 299 879
7 Florida
+16 F -3 298 297 285 880
T8 Vanderbilt (won playoff)
+26 F +5 302 295 293 890
T8 Florida State
+26 F +10 297 295 298 890
10 TCU
+29 F +6 302 297 294 893
11 Michigan State
+30 F +10 297 299 298 894
12 Louisville
+35 F +8 301 302 296 899
13 Auburn
+39 F +14 302 299 302 903
14 Mississippi
+42 F +22 303 293 310 906
15 UNC Wilmington
+50 F +14 304 308 302 914
16 Texas Tech
+53 F +10 316 303 298 917
17 Augusta State
+54 F +26 302 302 314 918
18 Colorado
+55 F +18 306 307 306 919
19 Stetson
+59 F +22 304 309 310 923
20 Kentucky
+63 F +24 306 309 312 927
21 Florida International
+65 F +29 311 301 317 929
22 Yale
+66 F +23 310 309 311 930
23 Fairleigh Dickinson
+95 F +35 312 324 323 959
24 Alabama State Univ.
+141 F +49 334 334 337 1005
