Gonzaga University
The Gold Rush Day 2
WGOLF Vaults up Leaderboard to End The Gold Rush
2/23/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
SPOKANE, Wash.--After counting two rounds below par Tuesday, the Gonzaga women's golf team climbed up the leaderboard at The Gold Rush, finishing the first tournament of the spring season in sixth place.
Two Zags carded rounds under par at the 6,087, par-72 Old Ranch Country Club. Freshman Bianca Pagdanganan fired 2-under-par 70 during the tournament's final round, offsetting five bogeys on the day with seven birdies, including two in her final three holes and three on her final five. Pagdanganan finished fourth on the individual leaderboard with a three-round total of 216 (E), her second top-5 finish of the season; she won the prestigious Edean Ihlanfeldt Invitational in October. Over the three rounds of The Gold Rush, Pagdanganan lead the field with 13 birdies.
Senior Raychelle Santos also fired a score under par, shooting 1-under 71 Tuesday. Santos played her first four holes at 3-over, but she bounced back to play the final 14 in at 4-under with all four birdies coming between hole Nos. 1-7. With her round under par, Santos climbed 24 spots into a tie for 26th, counting 227 strokes (+11) over the three loops. The finish was her second lowest in relation to par of the season.
"Bianca had a great tournament; she overcame some rust and almost won," said Gonzaga head coach Brad Rickel. "I'm very proud of how she competed today. Raychelle shot 32 on the front today and really got it going. She shot 1-under after playing the first six at 3-over."
After entering the day tied on the leaderboard, junior Ciera Min and freshman Jena Gao remained even after they both carded 78s (+6) Tuesday. They tied at 47th with three other players. With the 78, Min cut one stroke off her second round total while Gao held steady overnight.
Sophomore Dania Uy, meanwhile, cut three strokes between her second and third rounds, carding a 4-over-par 76 on Tuesday and counting as one of Gonzaga's scoring rounds. Uy finished in a tie for 60th with 238 strokes (+22) on the tournament.
As a team, the Zags tallied their best score of the tournament, counting 295 strokes (+7) Tuesday. Only two teams carded a lower score, and the Bulldogs climbed four spots up the leaderboard and into sixth with 905 strokes (+41) over the three rounds.
"We are much happier with our play today," Rickel said. "We played even with the leaders, and our third round felt more like ourselves."
Top-ranked USC won the tournament with a cumulative score of 863 (-1) while the Trojans' Robynn Ree took medalist honors with a tally of 212, four strokes under par.
With the end of The Gold Rush, the Zags have 12 days off before next taking the course as they start the Bay Area Intercollegiate on Monday, March 7. That three-round, two-day tournament will take place at The Meadow Club in Fairfax, Calif.
