ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Wildcats sophomore Sarah Cho birdied two of her final three holes Tuesday to win the 2015 Branch Law Firm Dick McGuire Invitational championship by one stroke at the University of New Mexico Championship Course. Northwestern closed with its best team round of the 54-hole tournament to secure second place at the season-opening event, finishing with all six Wildcats inside the Top-36 of the 104-player field.
2015 BRANCH LAW FIRM/DICK McGUIRE INVITATIONAL - RESULTS
Designated to compete as an individual (not contributing to the Wildcats team score), Cho opened the tournament with a sterling 5-under 68 and finished with a 4-under 69 to overcome a two-stroke deficit in the final round and edge Stanford's Mariah Stanford for the title. It is the San Diegan's second win in her last four college events, a stretch that began with a victory at May's Big Ten Championship and included the 2015 NCAA Regionals and Championships.
Sophomore Hannah Kim, the reigning Big Ten Player of the Year, birdied 17 and 18 in Tuesday's final round to card a 3-under 70 and secure a share of third-place with a 6-under 213. Freshman Stephanie Lau improved every round in her college debut (73-72-71) in earning a share of tenth-place.
The Wildcats, No. 12 in the Golfweek preseason rankings, earned a runner-up finish to reigning national champion Stanford in a field that featured eight other programs ranked among the Top-30. The full field included No. 22 UC Davis, Cal State Fullerton, Denver, Gonzaga, Iowa State, Miami, No. 29 UNLV, New Mexico, No. 21 Ohio State, No. 9 Oklahoma State, No. 19 Oregon, Oregon State, No. 18 Pepperdine, No. 25 San Diego State, UTEP and Washington State.
Northwestern's 10-under performance as a group on Monday and Tuesday improved by two strokes on their 2014 title winning score (-8) at the UNM Championship Course. The team's combined 866 is the fifth-best 54-hole tournament score in Northwestern program history, the Top-5 of which have all been established since the spring of 2014.
The Wildcats will look to build on an impressive season-opening performance this weekend in Franklin, Tenn., at the Mason Rudolph Invitational hosted Sept. 18-20 at the Vanderbilt Legends Club.
Northwestern -- 2nd/18 -- 289-289-288=866 (-10)
1 -- Sarah Cho -- 68-74-69=211 (-8)
T3 -- Hannah Kim -- 70-73-70=213 (-6)
T10 -- Stephanie Lau -- 73-72-71=216 (-3)
T26 -- Kacie Komoto -- 73-75-72=220 (+1)
T26 -- Suchaya Tangkamolprasert -- 74-71-75=220 (+1)
T36 -- Kaitlin Park -- 73-73-78=224 (+5)
2015 BRANCH LAW FIRM/DICK McGUIRE INVITATIONAL - RESULTS
Designated to compete as an individual (not contributing to the Wildcats team score), Cho opened the tournament with a sterling 5-under 68 and finished with a 4-under 69 to overcome a two-stroke deficit in the final round and edge Stanford's Mariah Stanford for the title. It is the San Diegan's second win in her last four college events, a stretch that began with a victory at May's Big Ten Championship and included the 2015 NCAA Regionals and Championships.
Breaking news from Albuquerque: #B1GCats sophomore Sarah Cho is the 2015 Dick McGuire Invitational champion! pic.twitter.com/A4kWLJi1gi
— #B1GCats (@NU_Sports) September 15, 2015
Sophomore Hannah Kim, the reigning Big Ten Player of the Year, birdied 17 and 18 in Tuesday's final round to card a 3-under 70 and secure a share of third-place with a 6-under 213. Freshman Stephanie Lau improved every round in her college debut (73-72-71) in earning a share of tenth-place.
The Wildcats, No. 12 in the Golfweek preseason rankings, earned a runner-up finish to reigning national champion Stanford in a field that featured eight other programs ranked among the Top-30. The full field included No. 22 UC Davis, Cal State Fullerton, Denver, Gonzaga, Iowa State, Miami, No. 29 UNLV, New Mexico, No. 21 Ohio State, No. 9 Oklahoma State, No. 19 Oregon, Oregon State, No. 18 Pepperdine, No. 25 San Diego State, UTEP and Washington State.
Northwestern's 10-under performance as a group on Monday and Tuesday improved by two strokes on their 2014 title winning score (-8) at the UNM Championship Course. The team's combined 866 is the fifth-best 54-hole tournament score in Northwestern program history, the Top-5 of which have all been established since the spring of 2014.
The Wildcats will look to build on an impressive season-opening performance this weekend in Franklin, Tenn., at the Mason Rudolph Invitational hosted Sept. 18-20 at the Vanderbilt Legends Club.
Northwestern -- 2nd/18 -- 289-289-288=866 (-10)
1 -- Sarah Cho -- 68-74-69=211 (-8)
T3 -- Hannah Kim -- 70-73-70=213 (-6)
T10 -- Stephanie Lau -- 73-72-71=216 (-3)
T26 -- Kacie Komoto -- 73-75-72=220 (+1)
T26 -- Suchaya Tangkamolprasert -- 74-71-75=220 (+1)
T36 -- Kaitlin Park -- 73-73-78=224 (+5)
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