Women’s Golf: Ducks Win Northrup Grumman Challenge

The 2nd-ranked Oregon Women’s golf team traveled to Palos Verdes, California this week to play in the Northrup Grumman Challenge Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Facing a loaded field of elite golfers, the Ducks held 2nd after Sunday, took the tournament lead on Monday, and then pulled away on Tuesday to score a 7-stroke victory over 2nd-place Wake Forest. In all, 16 squads took part, including Pac-12 opponents Arizona State, USC, Cal and Arizona.

The Ducks placed four golfers in the tournament’s top 10 finishers, led Hsin-Yu Lu and Sofie Kibsgaard Nielsen who tied for 4th with a 3-day score of 1 under par 212. Briana Chacon tied for 6th at 214 and Ching-Tzu Chen was tied for 8th at 215. Tze-Han Lin finished in a tie for 12th at 217. It was the second straight tournament in which all of Oregon’s golfers finished in the top 15. Oregon was a combined 4 under par for the tournament, just one shot off the tournament record. Rachel Kuehn of Wake Forest was the overall medalist, shooting 67 - 67 - 69 for a 203 total and won by 5 strokes over Beth Lillie of Virginia.

This was Oregon’s 7th tournament so far this season, and the team has seen success from Tennessee to Illinois and from Florida to Hawaii. Oregon next heads to Tempe, Arizona for the Ping/ASU Invitational beginning March 25 at the Papago Golf Course. The Ducks will again face the talented Sun Devils in that tournament, whom they beat by 17 strokes in Palos Verdes.

Team Leaderboard:

1. #2 Oregon – 287-279-282 – 848 (-4)

2. #5 Wake Forest – 292-280-283 – 855 (+3)

3. #6 Virginia – 287-280-297 – 864 (+12)

4. #12 Arizona State – 291-284-290 – 865 (+13)

5. #10 Texas – 297-290-286 – 873 (+21)

Ducks on the Leaderboard:

T4. Hsin-Yu (Cynthia) Lu – 71-70-71 – 212 (-1)

T4. Sofie Kibsgaard Nielsen – 71-70-71 – 212 (-1)

T6. Briana Chacon – 70-74-70 – 214 (+1)

T8. Ching-Tzu Chen – 75-69-71 – 215 (+2)

T12. Tze-Han (Heather) Lin – 77-70-70 – 217 (+4)