VISTA, California – Elle Otani shot a 70 in the opening round to pace herself to plus-13 final score in this week's Fujikura Invitational hosted by Cal State San Marcos at the Shadowridge Country Club. Otani followed with round scores of 81 and 78 to finish in a five-way tie at No. 13.
The Hawai'i Hilo Women's Golf team placed 11th in the team competition with round scores of 304, 322 and 316 for a plus-78 total. It was the first action of the spring for the Vulcans.
Vulcans golfers were seemingly challenged the most on Holes 6-14, combining for 30 bogeys, 13 double bogeys and one quadruple bogey.
Otani's Round 1 score of two-under par at 70 strokes is a new program mark, one-upping Dayna Bersamin's 72 (one-under) score at the 2011 Culturame Classic and Kristen Sawada's 71 (one-under) score at the 15-16 PacWest Championship. The sophomore sank four birdies to overcome two bogeys, placing second on the leader board at the end of the round. Her previous low score was plus-two at 74 shots set at the Vulcans' last competition at the Dennis Rose Intercollegiate at Waikoloa Village.
Cal State San Marco's Madison Murr took the spotlight, shooting an opening-round score of 66 (six-under) on the way to claiming her fourth individual win this season. The Cougars also claimed the team victory, finishing with a 37-plus score at seven strokes ahead of runner-up UT Tyler.
Other Pacific West Conference teams to place were Biola at No. 4 (+55), Point Loma at No. 8 (+68) and HPU at No. 14 (+109)
UP NEXT
Hawai'i Hilo will be right back in action later this week at the nine-team Augustana Spring Fling at the Desert Willow Golf Resort in Palm Desert, California.
The Vulcans will then have two more events at the WT Desert Invitational (April 1-2) and RJGA Palm Valley Classic (April 5-6) before returning home for the PacWest Conference Championship set for April 15-17 at the Mauna Lani Golf Course.
2024 CSUSM Fujikura Invitational Individual Leader Board
| NAME |
PLACE |
SCORE |
RD TOTALS |
NOTES |
| E. Otani |
No. T13 |
+13 |
70–81–78 (229) |
6 Birdies |
| T. Ledgerwood |
No. T44 |
+22 |
80–77–81 (238) |
4 Birdies |
| K. Saludares |
No. T46 |
+23 |
75–87–77 (239) |
4 Birdies |
| T. Kuali'i |
No. T46 |
+23 |
79–80–80 (239) |
5 Birdies |
| K. Oki |
No. 79 |
+44 |
87–84–89 (260) |
1 Birdies |
2024 CSUSM Fujikura Invitational
| TEAM |
TO PAR |
RD SCORES |
TOP SCORER |
| 1. Cal State San Marcos |
+37 |
289–310–302 (901) |
1 – M. Murr |
| 2. UT Tyler |
+44 |
302–307–299 (908) |
2 – K. Duran |
| 3. Cal State Monterey Bay |
+52 |
304–314–298 (916) |
13 – W. Tong |
| 4. Biola |
+55 |
300–307–312 (919) |
3 – R. Shaw |
| 5. Cal State East Bay |
+60 |
299–314–311 (924) |
5 – M. Granato |
| 6. Cal State Los Angeles |
+62 |
308–310–308 (926) |
7 – D. Andrade |
| 7. Sonoma State |
+64 |
309–317–302 (928) |
18 – A. Foster |
| 8. Point Loma |
+68 |
301–313–318 (932) |
5 – K. Hernandez |
| 9. CSU Pueblo |
+74 |
315–310–313 (938) |
9 – L. Ekberg |
| 10. Simon Fraser |
+76 |
314–304–322 (940) |
4 – M. Minhas |
| 11. Hawai'i Hilo |
+78 |
304–322–316 (942) |
13 – E. Otani |
| 12. Western Washington |
+83 |
306–308–333 (947) |
13 – E. Worgum |
| 13. Colorado Christian |
+95 |
322–327–310 (959) |
37 – M. Doss |
| 14. HPU |
+109 |
323–330–320 (973) |
41 – L. Landt |
| 15. Chico State |
+138 |
325–342–335 (1002) |
58 – T. Hernandez |
