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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Sophomore Jennifer Chang is tied for sixth after her par 71 that saw her post four birdies.
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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.
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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.
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The tournament continues Tuesday and Wednesday, beginning at 8:30 a.m. each day.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Sophomore Jennifer Chang is tied for sixth after her par 71 that saw her post four birdies.
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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.
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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.
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The tournament continues Tuesday and Wednesday, beginning at 8:30 a.m. each day.
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