Kuida shot back-to-back 80’s for a two-day total of 160, which was 18 over par at the par 72 course. Kuida tied for 25th overall and was UP’s top finisher.
Michigan took home the team title after placing two individuals in the top three and three golfers in the top 10. The Wolverines’ team score of 609 was 13 strokes better than runner-up Oral Roberts (622). Winthrop was third with a 626, tournament host Northern Arizona was fourth with a 629 and Wyoming rounded out the top five with a 630.
The Pilots followed an opening round of 629 with a 628 to come in at 657.
Montana State’s Kelly Gillum claimed medalist honors after firing a four-over par 148 (75-73). Michigan teammates Ashley Bauer and Lydia Benitez tied for second place with Northern Arizona’s Megan Buck. The trio finished three strokes back of Gillum. A stroke back in fifth was Crystal Reeves of Oral Roberts.
Freshman McKennon O’Rourke was UP’s next top finisher following Kuida. O’Rourke tied for 47th with a 164 (80-84). Next came sophomore Lisa Okazaki, who had Portland’s low round of the tournament. Okazaki fired a seven-over par 79 on Sunday to finish with a 165. Okazaki tied for 52nd.
Portland junior Paige Rachor shot a 169 (84-85), while sophomore Bridget Gleason finished with a 176 (85-91).
The Pilots are next scheduled to take the course at the Duck Invitational at Shadow Hills Country Club in Junction City, Ore. The two-day event is set to begin on March 23.
Red Rocks Invitational - Final Results
Oak Creek Country Club (Sedona, Ariz.) - Par 72 – 6,099 yards
Team Scores: 1. Michigan (307-302) 609; 2. Oral Roberts (312-310) 622; 3. Winthrop University (310-316) 626; 4. Northern Arizona (312-317) 629; 5. Wyoming (320-310) 630; 6. Michigan ‘B’ (319-318) 637; 7. USC Upstate (324-317) 641; 8. Montana State (326-319) 645; 9. Portland State (318-328) 646; 10. Montana (335-321) 656; 11. Portland (329-328) 657; 12. Xavier (336-328) 664; 13. Western Michigan (326-341) 667; 14. Northern Colorado (341-330) 671; 15. Grand Canyon U. (341-337) 678; 16. Southern Utah (340-346) 686; 17. Utah Valley (355-349) 704; 18. Idaho State (354-360) 714.
Individual Leaders:1. Kelly Gillum, Montana St (75-73) 148, +4; t2 Ashley Bauer, Michigan (77-74) 151, +7; t2. Lydia Benitez, Michigan (76-75) 151, +7; t2. *Megan Buck, No Arizona (76-75) 151, +7; 5. Crystal Reeves, O. Roberts (72-80) 152, +8.
Portland Scores: t25. Taryn Kuida (80-80) 160, +16; t47. McKennon O'Rourke (80-84) 164, +20; t52. Lisa Okazaki (86-79) 165, +21; t65. Paige Rachor (84-85) 169, +25; t79. Bridget Gleason (85-91) 176, +32.
