SEASIDE, Calif. -- Washington State freshman
Alice Johansson set the program record for lowest score to par for a 54-hole event and equaled the school record with a 6-under-par, 66, on the final day at the 2023 Molly Collegiate Invitational Tuesday at the 6,128-yard, par-72 Bayonet Golf Course.
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As a team, the Cougars shot their best round of the tournament Tuesday, firing a 2-under, 286 to finish the two-day event at +12, 876, in eighth place. Oregon and California tied for the team championship at -28, 836, five strokes ahead of first-day leader San Jose State.
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"From start to finish, this was a good week for the Cougs," said WSU Head Coach
Sofie Aagaard. "Our preparation was focused and productive, adjusting well to the green speed and balls rolling with the help of some strategy adjustments made from our previous event. With four individual rounds under par the past two days, we showed that we can make birdies and put together good round scores.
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Johannson, playing in just her second collegiate event, had it going from the start Tuesday, registering four birdies through her first seven holes. On her back 9, she added four more birdies and bogeys to finish her round at 6-under, 66. Johansson finished her two-day event tied for second at 9-under, 207, four strokes behind medalist Ashleigh Park of Oregon.Johansson's 54-hole score broke Marie Lund Hanson's previous school-record of -8, 208, set at the 2017 Ron Moore Intercollegiate.
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Johansson's 66 tied the mark for lowest round and lowest round-to-par in program history. The last player to shoot a 6-under, 66, was Mallory Kent at the 2013 Pac-12 Championships during her junior season.
"Alice finishing in a tie for second at this event was very, very good," Aagaard continued. "She made good use of her advantage hitting a long ball off the tee, creating many opportunities for birdies with shorter irons into the greens. Â She stayed patient throughout the event and it is impressive to see a freshman with a T-2 finish in only her second collegiate event."
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Junior
Madelyn Gamble was steady throughout the three-round tournament, firing a 1-over 73 Tuesday to finish the event at even-par, 216, tied for 23rd overall. Gamble's final 18 holes included four birdies while she completed her 54 holes with 38 pars, the third-most in the field.
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Sarah Skovgaard-Bils, a junior from Virum, Denmark, shot a 1-under 71 Tuesday, which included WSU's lone eagle of the tournament to go with three birdies. Skovgaard-Bils was 1-under over the final 36 holes to finish at +9, 225, tied for 2nd.
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"Another highlight from the week was Sarah (Skovgaard) Bils, who fought back from a slow start to shoot even and one under in her last two rounds," said Aagaard. "She holed out from the fairway for an eagle to open her round today."
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Danielle Suh finished her day with a 4-over, 76, giving her a three-round total of +15, 231, tied for 53rd. Sophomore
Hannah Harrison carded a 7-over, 79, for a three0round score of +26, 22, tied for 62nd.
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The Cougars are next in action Oct. 6-8 at the Ron Moore Intercollegiate in Denver, Colo.
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