Natasha Andrea Oon of San Jose State captured the individual title and led the Spartans to a record-breaking victory in the Mountain West Conference Championship on the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage.
San Jose State coasted to the team title by 30 strokes with a score of 279-290-291—860, 4-under-par, while New Mexico was second at 297-298-295—890, followed by Fresno State at 291-303-297—891, Boise State at 301-296-295—892 and Nevada-Las Vegas at 303-296-294—893.
The Spartans set Mountain West records for low score and margin of victory in the conference championship and there might be more to come as all five of the top Spartans have at least one college season remaining.
“It’s just awesome,” San Jose State Coach Dana Dormann said. “We’ve been wanting this for so long, been trying for this, and I’m so proud of them. It was a great field but we set records left and right, we were looking to extend that lead every day and just kept going.
“(Oon) was so steady, came back from her injury last year, just all she accomplishing this year is just incredible and I’m so proud of her.”
San Diego State totaled 296-304-299—899 to tie for sixth with Nevada, which finished at 305-305-289—899, while Colorado State wound up eighth at 307-297-305—909, followed by Wyoming at 314-308-310—932.
San Jose State claimed its first Mountain West women’s golf title after joining the conference in 2013-14, and the 21st conference title in school history dating to the late 1970s when the Spartans won four NorCal Conference Championships. The Spartans also won 10 Big West Conference and six Western Athletic Conference championships.
Oon, a senior from Malaysia, finished in the top 10 for her eighth consecutive tournament and claimed her third college title and first of this season by making a birdie on the final hole to wind up at 65-70-71—206, 10-under to win by seven shots, as her Spartan teammate Lucia Lopez-Ortega was second at 68-73-72—213.
“It feels really good,” said Oon, who set Mountain West records for low score and margin of victory in the championship finals. “It was great to set those and records, but most importantly to help the team win.
“I had a good mental state from the start of the tournament and was just trying to keep myself in that space, but I was able to really go low and it was great to finish with a birdie to get the job done.”
Kajsa Arwefjall of San Jose State shot 73-71-72—216 to tie for third with Lauren Lehigh of New Mexico, who finished at 74-69-73—216, while Franca Polla of Boise State was fifth at 74-70-75—219.
Bernice Ilas of San Diego State was sixth at 74-75-71—220, while Harriet Smith of Fresno State shot 74-76-71—221 to tie for seventh with Victoria Gailey of Nevada, who finished at 75-78-68—221, and Anitra Koth of Nevada, who wound up at 76-73-72—221.
Napat Lertsadwattana of New Mexico totaled 74-79-69—222 to tie for 10th with Sydney Bryan of Nevada-Las Vegas, who came in a 75-72-75—222.
Rounding out the scoring for team champion San Jose State were Antonia Malate in a tie for 15th at 73-76-76—225, and Louisa Carlbom in a tie for 26th at 74-77-78—229.
For complete results, visit https://results.golfstat.com//public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=participants&tid=25131
