After struggling throughout the NCAA Championships, junior Kendra Little wasn’t ready to finish the season with a whimper.
Little shot a final round 67 (five under par), tying a career mark and leading the team to a tie for 23rd overall. With that, a tremendously successful season came to an end for the No. 28 Ducks.
Oregon’s final overall score of 1,218 (66 over par) tied San Jose State for 23rd, avoiding last place. Thanks in no small part to Little’s blistering round, the Ducks shot a 294 (six over par) on the tournament’s final day.
Though Little was the star in the final round, it was Cheyenne Hickle who paced the team throughout the tournament. The freshman shot a 299 (11 over par) and tied for 57th individually. Little followed in a tie for 86th with a total score of 304 (16 over par), while sophomore Ashley Edwards and junior Erica Omlid tied for 104th with final scores of 308 (20 over par). Senior Kate Hildahl never quite found a consistent rhythm and finished in 122nd place.
No. 8 Purdue claimed the national championship with a narrow one-stroke victory over No. 4 USC. No. 7 Alabama followed in third, while No. 5 Arizona State and No. 6 Arizona rounded out the top five finishers.
Caroline Hedwall of No. 25 Oklahoma State took home the individual title by a commanding four strokes. Arizona State’s Jennifer Johnson followed in second, and tied for third were Cydney Clanton of No. 3 Auburn and Maude-Aimee LeBlanc of Purdue.
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