Zags Santos, Min Take Different Routes To WAPL Match Play
6/19/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
NORMAN, Okla. - Gonzaga University sophomore-to-be Raychelle Santos and incoming freshman Ciera Min took different routes to qualify for match play at the 37th U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship following the completion of stroke play Tuesday.
Santos, from La Quinta, Calif., shot a second-round 3-over par 75 for a 36-hole total of 148 over the 6,351 yard, par 72 Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club. That left her tied for 25th. Min, from Hilo, Hawai'i, was involved in a 10-way playoff for the final six spots after firing a second-round 79 for a 36-hole score of 153 to tie for 59th.
The top 64 players from stroke play advanced to match play beginning Wednesday.
Bulldog junior-to-be Alice Kim, from Honolulu, Hawai'i, failed to advance to match play after shooting a second-round 79 for 36-hole total of 162 and a tie for 127th.
First-round co-leaders and University of Southern California teammates Annie Park of Levittown, NY, who won the NCAA Women's Golf individual title earlier this spring as a freshman to help USC to the team title, and Doris Chen of Bradenton, Fla., who finished 15th in the NCAA Championship, each shot a second straight 68 to finish tied for first at 8-under par 136.
Min won't waste any time seeing how she stacks up against the best of the field, drawing Park in the first match Wednesday at 6:30 a.m. PDT. Santos will be right behind, facing Demi Frances Runas of Torrance, Calif., at 8:39 a.m. PDT, each player qualifying with a score of 148. Runas capped her collegiate career by finishing 37th in the NCAA Women's Golf Championship this spring, helping UC Davis tie for 16th in the team chase.
Santos, starting on the back side Tuesday, made the turn 2-over for the day with bogeys on the par 4 11th and the 537-yard par 5 18th. She collected her lone birdie of the day on the par 4 third hole and double-bogeyed the par 4 seventh. She had 14 pars for the round.
Min got off to a shaky start Tuesday with three bogey 5's and a double-bogey 5 on four of the first six holes to quickly fall to 5-over. She got a stroke back with a birdie 3 on the seventh but finished the front side with a bogey 5 to remain 5-over par.
In stark contrast to her start of the round, she began the back nine with three straight pars and a birdie 4 on the 474-yard, par 5 13th. She bogeyed 15 and the par 5 18th for her only blemishes on the back side. She had a pair of birdies, nine pars, six bogeys and the double-bogey for the round.
This is the third time in the last four years the Bulldogs have had a player advance to WAPL match play.
For complete stroke play results click here.
