SPOKANE, Washington – Hira Naveed shot a 3-under 68 on Saturday to win the individual title and lead the Pepperdine women's golf team to its first team victory at the West Coast Conference Championships since 2015.
The Waves had a three-day total of 877 (298-294-285) at the par-71 Manito Country Club and defeated BYU by three shots. This is Pepperdine's 18th league crown (no other WCC school has more than three).
Pepperdine opened Saturday in first place, but as one of four teams within four shots of the lead. San Francisco and host Gonzaga quickly fell off the pace, while BYU went in front for most of the front nine, though not by much. From the 11th hole to the finish, Pepperdine's four scoring players carded a total of 6-under as the Waves overtook the Cougars. The Waves' 1-over 285 was the best round of the tournament.
It's the first WCC title for Pepperdine's three-player senior class – Naveed,
Hannah Haythorne and
Patricia Wong – as the Waves ended BYU's run of three consecutive titles.
PLAYER SCORES
- Senior Hira Naveed (Perth, Australia) won her third individual title this school year. Only Katherine Hull, with four wins in 2002-03, has as many or more for the Waves in one season. Naveed won medalist honors by four shots thanks to her 1-under 212 (74-70-68). She is Pepperdine's first WCC champ since 2015, and the 16th all-time. Naveed entered the final round with a one-shot lead. She was even-par through 10 holes but birdied 11 and 12 and then eagled the par-5 13th hole to go 4-under, and she finished at 3-under on the day. Her-3 ties Pepperdine's fourth-best single-round ever at the WCC Championships, and her overall 1-under ties the fourth-best 54-hole score. Naveed tied a school record with her 14th under-par round of the season.
- Junior Momoka Kobori (Rangiora, New Zealand) took seventh place at 222 (75-71-76). She had one birdie today.
- Senior Hannah Haythorne (Honolulu, Hawai'i/IMG Academy) tied for 10th at 224 (76-76-72). Her only birdie of her 1-over round came on the 17th hole, and she had that and seven pars in her final eight holes.
- Freshman Kathrine Chan (Richmond, B.C., Canada) also tied for 10th at 224 (74-77-73). She had two birdies, which came on back-to-back holes on 14 and 15.
- Senior Patricia Wong (Walnut, Calif./Walnut HS) tied for 13th at 225 (75-78-72). She had three birdies on the day. Two of them came on 11 and 13, right as the Waves took the team lead, and then she finished five straight pars.
QUOTABLE
Pepperdine head coach
Laurie Gibbs said: "This championship means a lot. We knew it was going to be tough out there. We knew we had to play well today. It means everything and I'm so proud of our seniors, led by Hira. They played flawless today coming down the stretch. Hira has had a great year and to go out there and play like she did, we really needed it."
Pepperdine senior
Hira Naveed said: "Mentlaly, I just kept myself together and didn't let negative thoughts creep in. Today that was key on 11, 12 and 13 where I made the eagle. Positive thoughts, mentally I kept it together, and finished strong."
UP NEXT
The NCAA Championships selection show is this Wednesday (April 24) at 2:30 p.m. PT on the Golf Channel. NCAA Regionals are scheduled for May 6-8.
THE NUMBERS
Team Standings: 1. Pepperdine 298-294-285=877; 2. BYU 300-293-287=880; 3. San Francisco 310-286-292=888; 4. Gonzaga 292-302-304=898; 5. Santa Clara 306-314-306=926.
Individual Leaders: 1. Hira Naveed (Pepperdine) 74-70-68=212; 2. Rose Huang (BYU) 75-73-68=216; 3. Annika Borrelli (San Francisco) 74-71-72=217; 4. Sarah Busey (Santa Clara) 73-74-71=218; 5. Naomi Soifua (BYU) 73-73-74=220.
