May 10, 2008
AUSTIN, Texas - The Purdue women's golf team finished second with a three-round total of 871 (288-294-289) at the NCAA Central Regional Championship in Austin, Texas. The sixth-ranked Boilermakers will advance to the NCAA Championships May 20 to 23 in Albuquerque, N.M., at the University of New Mexico Championship Golf Course.
No. 2 UCLA won the Central Regional with a team total of 861 (283-293-285). The top eight team finishers and top two individuals not playing on the eight qualifying teams will earn bids to compete at the NCAA Championships. Denver was third (882), TCU finished fourth (884), Texas A&M was fifth (885), Alabama was sixth (896), and Texas was seventh (899). LSU tied for eighth with Florida State but won a sudden-death playoff and will advance to Albuquerque.
Purdue's Maria Hernandez finished as regional co-medalist with UCLA's Maria Jose Uribe. The pair recorded a tournament-best 208. TCU's Valentine Derrey finished third after a 73 in the final round gave her a total score of 210.
Hernandez fired a 69 on Saturday, after opening with a 66 followed by a second-round 73. Her tournament total of eight-under par 208 set a school record for low 54-hole tournament score, breaking the mark of 209 set by teammate Junthima Gulyanamitta on April 8 at the Indiana Invitational at Crooked Stick Golf Club. Hernandez was ranked No. 7 as an individual by Golfweek heading into the Central Regional.
Junior Christel Boeljon tied for eighth with a one-over par 217, after carding a 71 in the final round. Boeljon fired a 71 on Thursday and a 75 in the second round. Maude-Aimee Leblanc recorded her best score of the weekend with a 73 on Saturday. The 6-foot-1 freshman finished tied for 22nd with a 223 (75-75-73).
Freshman Gulyanamitta fired a 76 in the final round to finish tied for 30th with a three-round total of 225 (78-71-76). Junior Stephanie Oukeo also carded a third-round 76 and finished tied for 71st with a total of 235 (76-83-76).
The Central Regional was held at the University of Texas Golf Course, a par-72, 6,301 yard venue and hosted by Texas.
Last season, Purdue head coach Devon Brouse led the team to a runner-up finish in the NCAA Championships, the highest finish in school history and the best ever by a Big Ten team. Christel Boeljon tied for second individually and was one of four nominees for the Honda Sports Award.
For full results of the NCAA Central Regional, please check on golfstat.com.