Monday, April 15
Palos Verdes Estates, CA
All Day
USC
vs
Pac-12 Championships
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
Alyaa Abdulghany
Photo by: John McGillen/USC Athletics
No. 1 USC Takes First Round Lead At Pac-12 Championships At Palos Verdes
April 15, 2019 | Women's Golf, Features
Abdulghany, Ruffels fire 1-under 71s to lead Trojan first round.
Sophomores Alyaa Abdulghany and Gabriela Ruffels both fired 1-under 71s to lead the No. 1 USC women's golf team to first place on the opening day of the Trojan-hosted 2019 Pac-12 Championships on Monday (April 15) at the Palos Verdes G.C.
The Trojans, seeking their seventh conference title and the first since 2016, posted a 1-under 283, six better than second-place Stanford (289) with Arizona third (290). USC last hosted the conference championships in 2008, winning it by 26 strokes.
USC's 283 ties its third-best round ever on the traditionally challenging Palos Verdes course, matching its final-round score in the 2008 conference title. USC posted a 282 here at the 2017 Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge and a 280 at the 2013 event.
Abdulghany and Ruffels are tied for fourth, five back of Stanford's Albane Valenzuela, who was 6-under on her back 9 to take the lead with a 65. Abdulghany closed her first round with three straight birdies to notch her second 70 in a row. It was her third straight round under par and the fourth in her last five.
Ruffels opened her postseason with a birdie on 1 en route to an even front 9. She birdied 12 and 17 to join Abdulghany in the top 4 thanks to her fourth round of par or better in her last five outings.
Sophomore Jennifer Chang is tied for sixth after her par 71 that saw her post four birdies.
Freshman Malia Nam is tied for ninth after her 1-over 72 in her debut postseason round. She was even going out with a birdie on 4. She fell to 2-over after 13 before three straight birdies on 15, 16 and 17. A double on 18 moved her over par.
Junior Allisen Corpuz is tied for 14th at 2-over 73. She birdied 8 and 9 to turn at 3-under and was still even through 16 before bogeys on 17 and 18.
The tournament continues Tuesday and Wednesday, beginning at 8:30 a.m. each day.
The Trojans, seeking their seventh conference title and the first since 2016, posted a 1-under 283, six better than second-place Stanford (289) with Arizona third (290). USC last hosted the conference championships in 2008, winning it by 26 strokes.
USC's 283 ties its third-best round ever on the traditionally challenging Palos Verdes course, matching its final-round score in the 2008 conference title. USC posted a 282 here at the 2017 Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge and a 280 at the 2013 event.
Abdulghany and Ruffels are tied for fourth, five back of Stanford's Albane Valenzuela, who was 6-under on her back 9 to take the lead with a 65. Abdulghany closed her first round with three straight birdies to notch her second 70 in a row. It was her third straight round under par and the fourth in her last five.
Ruffels opened her postseason with a birdie on 1 en route to an even front 9. She birdied 12 and 17 to join Abdulghany in the top 4 thanks to her fourth round of par or better in her last five outings.
Sophomore Jennifer Chang is tied for sixth after her par 71 that saw her post four birdies.
Freshman Malia Nam is tied for ninth after her 1-over 72 in her debut postseason round. She was even going out with a birdie on 4. She fell to 2-over after 13 before three straight birdies on 15, 16 and 17. A double on 18 moved her over par.
Junior Allisen Corpuz is tied for 14th at 2-over 73. She birdied 8 and 9 to turn at 3-under and was still even through 16 before bogeys on 17 and 18.
The tournament continues Tuesday and Wednesday, beginning at 8:30 a.m. each day.
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