May 10, 2003
Tempe, Ariz. - The 2002-03 season came to an end today for the Illini women's golf team, as the Illini finished in 10th place at the NCAA West Regional Championships, hosted by Arizona State University at the par 72, 6,256-yard Karsten Golf Course in Tempe, Ariz. Illinois began the day in ninth place but slipped to 10th in the final standings, despite shooting its best score of the tournament with a final-round tally of 303. Illinois finished the Regional with a 54-hole score of 916.
Southern California won the West Regional Title, carding a 9-over par score of 873. Oklahoma State took second with a score of 880 while UCLA placed third at 892. The top eight finishing teams qualified for the NCAA Championships, to be held May 20-23 at the Kampen Course of the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex in West Lafayette, Ind. Illinois missed nationals by just 11 strokes as Stanford secured the final spot, finishing eighth at 905.
UNLV's Sunny Oh captured medalist honors, winning the individual crown with a 5-under par score of 211. There was a tie for second between USC's Tanya Dergal and Washington State's Kim Welch, who both finished 3-under at 213. The only other golfer in the 107-player field to finish under par was Pepperdine's Carolina Llano, who placed fourth at 1-under 215.
Illini seniors Laurin Kanda and Renata Young wrapped up their collegiate careers in strong fashion. Kanda was Illinois' top finisher at the Regional, tying for 25th place with a 10-over par with a score of 226. Young was Illinois' second finisher, tying for 48th at 231 (+15).
Junior Marla Cox finished just one stroke behind Young, tying for 53rd with a score of 232 (+16) while fellow junior Michelle Carroll tied for 67th at 236 (+20).
Illinois' fifth golfer, senior Stephanie Cheney, withrdrew from today's final round.
NCAA West Regional Final Team Standings
(Teams with an * qualify for NCAA Championships)
1. * Southern California 279-302-292=873
2. * Oklahoma State 288-302-290=880
3. * UCLA 298-300-294=892
4. * Pepperdine 294-302-298=894
T5. * Arizona State 290-307-305=902
T5. * Ohio State 299-302-301=902
7. * Washington State 297-306-301=904
8. * Stanford 301-307-297=905
9. San Francisco 302-313-296=911
10. ILLINOIS 309-304-303=916
11. UNLV 298-316-305=919
12. San Jose State 304-314-303=921
T13. Oregon State 302-312-309=923
T13. Washington 311-318-294=923
15. New Mexico State 307-312-306=925
T16. Denver 315-314-307=936
T16. Portland State 313-314-309=936
18. Nevada 315-313-309=937
19. Cal State-Northridge 320-305-318=943
20. Oral Roberts 315-324-313=952
21. Bradley 321-325-314=960
Illinois Results
T25. Laurin Kanda 76-74-76=226 +10
T48. Renata Young 82-75-74=231 +15
T53. Marla Cox 80-77-75=232 +16
T67. Michelle Carroll 80-78-78=236 +20
--- Stephanie Cheney 73-80-WD=WD
