Alice Kim was smokin‘ this week in Colorado.
The sophomore shot a school-record 67 on Monday, and followed that performance with a 4-under 68 on Tuesday to tie for second place at the Heather Farr Memorial Invitational.
That was only the beginning.
“Alice actually shattered three school records,” said head coach Anne Walker. “Her 67 was a new 18-hole record, her 2-under-140 was a new 36-hole record, and her tournament score of 6-under-210 was a new 54-hole record.
“She’s been leading off for us all fall and is the No. 1 scoring leader for the team – really impressive as a sophomore.“
Kim paced the Aggies to a sixth-place finish in the 20-team tournament, as hosted by the University of Colorado.
“Even though we got sixth, we felt it was a good tournament for us,” Walker said. “Every day we talked about getting better, and when we left, we looked back and thought, ‘Wow, we really feel like a much better team.‘”
Senior Kay Hoey of Long Beach State shot a 65 in the tournament’s first round – a score that would propel her to claiming first-place medalist honors. The 65 was a career-low for Hoey, who missed most of last season due to injury and was the Big West Golfer of the Year in 2006-07.
Last year’s Big West Golfer of the Year, Chelsea Stelzmiller, tied a career-low with a second-round 69, earning the Union Mine High School graduate her second eighth-place finish of the year. The sophomore started her season with an eighth-place showing on Aug. 20 at the Dick McGuire Invitational.
Backing up Stelzmiller was sophomore Katie Sisler who landed in 28th place with a 221 for the tournament. In 69th was junior Kimberly Johnson, who finished the tournament with four birdies to record a 72 on Tuesday. Senior Brittany Smith participated in the first day of the tournament, but withdrew after the second round due illness.
The Aggies will next lace up their golf shoes on Oct. 13, as they travel to New Mexico to play in the Price’s Give ‘Em Five Intercollegiate.
“We need to go into these next eight days of practice and work hard,” Walker said. “Come the New Mexico tournament, I wouldn’t be surprised if we played great. We’re ready to focus our minds to be great, and that’s what I’m really excited about.“
MATT MILLER can be reached at sports@californiaaggie.com
