

Aztec freshman Sara Kjellker ties for 34th individually
Source: goaztecs.com
Photo: Sara Kjellker was the Aztecs' top finisher at the Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge this week. Courtesy goaztecs.com
February 13, 2018 (Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.) - The San Diego State women’s golf team completed its first tournament of the spring in 18th place at the Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge after posting a combined 24-over-par 308 during the final round at Palos Verdes Golf Club.
The 23rd annual event featured 13 schools ranked among the latest Golfstat top 30, as the Aztecs compiled a 54-hole total of 71-over 923 on the par-71, 6,017 layout.
Despite slipping 18 places on the individual leaderboard, Sara Kjellker (Hollviken, Sweden) still emerged as SDSU’s top finisher for the thid time this season, tying for 34th with an 11-over 224. The Aztec freshman settled for a 78 over the final 18 holes, as five bogeys and one double-bogey hastened her drop.
SDSU senior Mila Chaves (Asunción, Paraguay), sophomore Fernanda Escauriza (Asunción, Paraguay) and freshman Gioia Carpinelli (Boppelsen, Switzerland), and each finished nine shots behind Kjellker in a tie for 69th at 20-over 233.
Chaves vaulted 12 spots in the standings after carding the Aztecs’ low round of the day with a 75, which included a team-high 15 pars. Escauriza also displayed upward mobility, climbing up five notches after firing a 77. Conversely, Carpinelli lost ground, stumbling five places after recording a 78, highlighted by 12 pars, including a pair of stretches with four straight.
Rounding out the SDSU delegation was Georgia Lacey (Del Mar, Calif.), who ended the week in the 90th position at 31-over 244 after matching Kjellker and Carpinelli with a 78 on Tuesday. The Aztec senior carded the team’s two lone birdies of the final round, draining back-to-back conversions on the 10th and 11th greens.
None of the teams posted a collective score below par in any of the event’s three rounds, while only three players finished the week in red figures individually.
UCLA (+15) snapped a second-round tie with Alabama (+19), topping the Crimson Tide by four strokes to capture the tournament crown, while Stanford (+24) jumped two places into third, followed by Arizona (+31) and Arizona State (+32).
Second-rounder leader Olivia Mehaffey of ASU wound up sharing medalist honors with Texas’ Kaitlyn Papp and Lilia Vu of UCLA at 1-under 212, while Stanford’s Andrea Lee (+1) took fourth.
San Diego State will have two weeks to prepare for its next tournament when it competes in the annual Bruin Wave Invitational co-hosted by UCLA and Pepperdine, Feb. 26-27, in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge
Final Results
Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.
Palos Verdes G.C.
Par 71, 6,017 yards
Team Standings (Top 5 of 18 teams + SDSU)
1. UCLA 292-284-291—867 (+15)
2. Alabama 292-284-295—871 (+19)
3. Stanford 295-292-289—876 (+24)
4. Arizona 285-292-306—883 (+31)
5. Arizona State 285-298-301—884 (+32)
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18. San Diego State 303-312-308—923 (+71)
Individual Leaders (Top 6 of 96 players + SDSU)
T1. Olivia Mehaffey, Arizona State 68-71-73—212 (-1)
T1. Kaitlyn Papp, Texas 69-71-72—212 (-1)
T1. Lilia Vu, UCLA 75-69-68—212 (-1)
4. Andrea Lee, Stanford 71-74-69—214 (+1)
5. Bethany Wu, UCLA 70-72-73—215 (+2)
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T34. Sara Kjellker, SDSU 74-72-78—224 (+11)
T69. Mila Chaves, SDSU 76-82-75—233 (+20)
T69. Fernanda Escauriza, SDSU 78-78-77—233 (+20)
T69. Gioia Carpinelli, SDSU 75-80-78—233 (+20)
90. Georgia Lacey, SDSU 78-88-78—244 (+31)
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