SAFFOLD SHOOTS 72 TO LEAD WOMEN'S GOLF IN FIRST DAY OF BIG SKY CHAMPIONSHIPS
4/19/2010
CHANDLER, Ariz. —Samantha Saffold led the Sacramento State women's golf team with an even-par 72 in the first round of the Big Sky Conference Championships on Monday at Ocotillo Golf Resort.
Saffold stands in fourth place heading into Tuesday's second round and is three strokes behind Northern Arizona's Stephanie Kim for the individual lead. NAU also holds the team lead with a total of 294. The Lumberjacks are one stroke ahead of Portland State and five ahead of the Hornets (299). Northern Colorado (300), Montana State (309), Montana (311), Weber State (313), Eastern Washington (324) and Idaho State (326) complete the field.
Saffold opened her round with six consecutive pars before moving to 1-over with a bogey of the par-3 seventh. After three more pars, she bogeyed the par-5 11th to move to 2-over. The junior closed her round by birdying three of her final seven holes. Saffold began her streak with a birdie of the par-4 13th and immediately birdied the par-4 14th to drop to even. Two more pars were followed by a bogey of the par-4 17th. Saffold concluded her round with a birdie of the par-5 18th.
"Samantha put herself in a position where she can contend for the individual title," Sacramento State Director of Golf David Sutherland said. "She is playing as well as she has all year. We need a few more scores like hers if we want to win it."
Senior Brooke Green is tied for eighth place with a round of 75. Green was 3-over through her first 10 holes but played the final seven at even par. During her round, she had one birdie, 13 pars and four bogeys.
Sophomores Julie Shutler and Justine Chen are one shot behind Green and tied for 14th place. Shutler was 1-over at the turn after posting two birdies and three bogeys in the first nine holes. Her back nine consisted of six pars and three bogeys. Chen bogeyed the eighth and ninth holes to leave her at 3-over after nine. A third consecutive bogey on the 10th was her final miscue of the round as she closed with eight straight pars.
The tournament continues with the second round on Tuesday and then winds down with the final round on Wednesday. All three rounds will take place at the Ocotillo Golf Resort. After teeing off in the first five groups during the opening round, Sacramento State will be paired with NAU and Portland State in the final groups on Tuesday.
"Most of our team would prefer to go off later," Sutherland said. "They water the course quite a bit and it was playing long this morning but got better as the day moved along."
TEAM SCORES
1. Northern Arizona 294
2. Portland State 295 3. SACRAMENTO STATE 299
4. Northern Colorado 300
5. Montana State 309
6. Montana 311
7. Weber State 313
8. Eastern Washington 324
9. Idaho State 326
INDIVIDUAL TOP FIVE
1. Stephanie Kim, NAU, 69
2. Megan Buck, NAU 70
3. Britney Yada, PSU, 71 4. Samantha Saffold, SAC, 72
T5. Alexia Brown, PSU, 74
T5. Molly Dorans, MSU, 74
T5. Chelsea Silvers, NC, 74
CHANDLER, Ariz. — 
