CHANDLER, AZ – Steady, solid and school record breaking.
The Colorado Christian women's golf program played its best golf in program history as they notched a third-place finish at the season ending RMAC Championships.
They tallied a three-day total of 914 (+50) to finish just one shot behind Dixie State for the runner-up position. CSU-Pueblo won the event with an 895 (+31).
Individually Faith Kilgore was the RMAC runner-up as Orakorn Thirayatorn, from CSU-Pueblo, took individual medalists honors. Aiding in Kilgore's solid three-day effort was her event-best 41 pars. In addition she played the par three holes at a combined one-over par.
ROUND ONE RECAP: The Cougars were just six shots off the lead, and in third place, after notching an opening round 312 (+24). Dixie State held the lead with CSU-Pueblo just one stroke behind them.
All the Colorado Christian competitors were bunched up and within five strokes of each other. Kilgore led the way by notching a 76 (+4). She was tied for seventh after the opening 18 holes. Hannah Doran was tied for 11th after carding a 77 (+5) to stat her event.
Gabi Cortez was in a top 20 spot as well as she registered a 79 (+7) to put he in a tie for the 19th spot. Emily Donaldson and Rachel Roter were also strong contributors to the team score line as they posted an 80 (+8) and 81 (+9) respectively.
ROUND TWO RECAP: Colorado Christian stayed steady as they remained in third place in the team standings with a second round 307 (+19). CSU-Pueblo began to pull away as they set an RMAC single round record of 289.
Individually Kilgore tallied 16 pars and just two bogeys en route to a 74 which moved her into a tie for fourth place. However, the best round came from Donaldson who carded a 73 (+1). After playing the front nine at two over, she had eight pars and a birdie after the last nine in tallying her score. Her round moved her into 11th place.
Roter and Doran each pocketed a pair of 80's (+8). Doran was tied for 20th after 36 holes while Roter was in tied for 28th. Cortez rounded out the competitors for the Cougars with an 84 (+12).
ROUND THREE RECAP: The best was saved for the final day as the Cougars posted a final round 295 (+7) which left them in contention all day with Dixie State for the runner-up spot. The 295 was the lowest round of the season for Colorado Christian and the best round of the day by four strokes.
Kilgore was outstanding once again. She had a four-birdie, two-bogey effort to tally a final round 70 (-2) and complete the event as the runner-up. Her 54-hole total of 220 was four-over par and just three shots from the winner. The best individual finish at the RMAC Championships in Colorado Christian's women's golf program's history.
Every player donning a Cougars polo on the course contributed to the final day success. Cortez was the second best scorer with a two-over par 74 with Roter just one stroke behind her.
Donaldson finished just outside the top 10 as she notched a final 18-hole total of 76 (+4). Doran ended up tied for 20th as she carded a last round 78 (+6).
QUOTEABLE: "I told the girls before the round to put on a show and that's what we did," said head coach Phil Nelson. "This was our most complete and mature performance we had all season. We were working toward an effort like this all season and I am really excited for what we did today."
