University of Washington
Pac-12 Championships
Luo Leads Huskies on First Day of Pac-12 Championships
April 18, 2016 | Women's Golf
PLEASANTON, Calif. – University of Washington senior Ying Luo led the 13th-ranked Huskies on day one of the Pac-12 Women's Golf Championships as she currently sits third overall at 4-under 68. The Dawgs are ninth after the first round having posted a 1-over 289 through 18 holes. Washington had two players in the top 25 as freshman Wenyung Keh is tied for 22nd.
“I think today, it took us a while to settle in and maybe kind of get over some nerves,” said head coach Mary Lou Muflur. “This group knows what they're capable of and they can all go out and have rounds like Ying did today, we just need to get in that mindset and commit to what we're doing.”
Luo was one of four players to post a sub-70 round on Monday after knocking in four birdies over her final eight holes. It is the lowest round of the year for the senior who is just two strokes off of the lead. Luo, who is ranked 45th nationally, hit birdies on holes four, six, 11, 13, 16 and then ended the day with one on hole 18.
“It was fun to see her come through with a great round like that,” added Mulflur. “Her start wasn't great but she putted extremely well and just played some textbook holes down the stretch.”
Keh is at even-par 72 following the day's first round. She managed a birdie on the par-3 sixth hole and the par-5 eighth to sit tied for 22nd and six strokes off the lead. Fellow freshman and New Zealand native Julianne Alvarez is currently tied for 39th after posting a 2-over 74. In her first round of the league championship she carded three birdies.
Despite starting the day with two bogeys in her first three holes, senior Charlotte Thomas bounced back and was 1-over throughout the final 15 to finish at 3-over 75, tied for 45th, thanks to a birdie on hole 13. Freshman Sarah Rhee will also start day two at 3-over 75 as she knocked in three birdies, including one on her final hole of the day.
As a squad, the Huskies were even-par over the final nine holes after finishing the front nine at four-over. Second-ranked USC leads the field at 1-under 278 while No. 1 UCLA is second at 6-under 282 and No. 11 Arizona State is third at 3-under 285. Spots four through nine are separated by just four strokes. Haley Moore of Arizona leads the individual leaderboard at 6-under 66.
Day two of the 2016 Pac-12 Championship tees off at 9:10 a.m. as UW will be paired with California and Oregon State and starting on hole 10.
Players Mentioned
