Ellen Brantberg (Stockholm, Sweden) shot the only below-par round of the entire tournament to win medalist honors, leading Seattle University to a historic come-from-behind victory Tuesday in the Monterey Bay Invitational, hosted by Drake University at the Rancho Canada Golf Club West Course.
The Seattle U women’s golf team earned its first team victory ever since the program was established in the 2008-09 academic year. The Redhawks shot a tournament-best 303 (+19) in the final round to finish at 938 (+86), eight strokes ahead of second-place Towson University and 42 strokes in front of conference foe CSU Bakersfield.
Entering the day in a tie for fourth place, Brantberg posted a third-round total of one under par 70, six strokes better than anyone else during the final day, to move to the top of the individual leaderboard at 228 (+15). She becomes the first Seattle U player to earn medalist honors since Caitlin McCleary won the Red Rocks Invitational March 4, 2012.
Amanda Beyke (Federal Way, Wash.) shot 78 (+7) in the final round to complete the tournament in second place at 230 (+17). Jamie Huo (Kent, Wash.) completed the Redhawk 1-2-3 sweep, shooting 79 (+8) in the third round to finish the tournament in third place with a 54-hole score of 236 (+23).
Juhee Lee (Wilsonville, Ore.) ended up in a tie for fourth place at 238 (+25) after shooting 80 (+9) in the final round, while Alexus Song (Auburn, Wash.) moved into the top 10, finishing in a tie for seventh place at 239 (+26) after a third-round score of 76 (+5). Dorsey Addicks (Big Sky, Mont.) shot her second straight 78 (+7) to finish the tournament in 12th place at 243 (+30).
As a team, Seattle U led the tournament in birdies (23), pars (139), par-three scoring average (3.28), and par-five scoring average (5.20), plus the Redhawks were tied for first in par-four scoring average (4.56). Beyke led the 39-player field with eight birdies, with Brantberg tied for second with six birdies to go along with her tournament-leading 31 pars.
The Seattle University women’s golf team will head to Stockbridge, Ga., for the John Kirk Panther Intercollegiate, hosted by Georgia State University at Eagle’s Landing Country Club March 29-31.