Ree Wins East Lake Cup Stroke Play Crown

Monday, October 30

Atlanta, GA

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USC

East Lake Cup

Robynn Ree

Ree Wins East Lake Cup Stroke Play Crown

October 30, 2017 | Women's Golf, Features

Results

Trojans take second, will face Northwestern in match play semifinals

Junior Robynn Ree fired a 2-under 70 to capture first and lead the No. 15 USC women's golf team to second place in the 18-hole stroke play first day of the East Lake Cup at the East Lake G.C. in Atlanta on Monday (Oct. 30).

The Trojans, who won the inaugural East Lake Cup – which invites the previous year's NCAA semifinalists to its prestigious club – in 2015, will face third place Northwestern on Tuesday in a rematch of the 2017 NCAA Championships match play semifinals. The Wildcats won it in extra holes to advance to the NCAA final in May.

Top seed Stanford will face No. 4 seed and defending NCAA champion Arizona State in the other semifinal. The semifinal winners will face each other Wednesday in the title match while the semifinal losers will face in a consolation match.

"Today was a great day to learn about the course, and I'm so proud of our team for the way they battled and executed today. Being the two seed is awesome," USC Women's Golf head coach Andrea Gaston said. "We've got some great matches coming up tomorrow, especially getting the chance to play Northwestern again."

"Match play is just a different beast," Gaston added. "It brings out different games, because you can be a little more aggressive since you're playing an opponent, but at the same time you can't get carried away and make mental mistakes, you still have to keep your head in the game and expect the best of your opponent."

The Golf Channel will broadcast live coverage starting at 12 p.m. PT on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Ree held off the 20-woman field thanks to a 2-under front 9 and nine pars on the back 9 for her fifth round under par this year in seven tries. Her birdie putt on 18 lipped out but she saved par from about eight feet to secure the win. Four golfers tied for fourth, including Stanford's Andrea Lee, whose eagle putt on 18 was just wide.

"Before I got here, I was really over thinking my game, and usually when I'm on the course I try not to think; that's how I play my best," Ree said. "I honestly didn't know that I was in contention [to win]. There is always that one player who gets streaky and goes low, so I wasn't as concerned about winning, but just trying to hit fairways and greens so I could be successful."

Sophomore Muni He held on for sixth with a 1-over 73 with three birdies against three bogeys. Freshman Alyaa Abdulghany tied for ninth at 3-over 75, which included an eagle on 14 and a birdie on 18.

Sophomore Allisen Corpuz finished 16^th at 7-over 79 while sophomore Divya Manthena tied for 18^th at 11-over 83.