SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (April 20, 2022) – It was a banner Wednesday at Talking Stick Golf Club as the Northern Arizona golf team put the bow tie on their first Big Sky Championship in seven years. The Lumberjacks captured their conference-leading ninth all-time Big Sky title after a three-day total of 8-over par 872 (288-287-297), knocking off Sacramento State by six strokes.
"Quite honestly, we've had a very good year and good semester and I felt comfortable coming in that if we competed well for 54 holes, we would do well," said head coach
Brad Bedortha. "You've got to play great from round one on the first hole to the 54th hole on the last day. We finished the deal and that's how we won. It's difficult to win and even harder to win a conference championship."
"Sac State shot even par today and I knew we would have to shoot 300 or better to have a chance to beat them and we did," Bedortha added. "It wasn't pretty, but we got the job done and I don't care if we won by one (stroke) or six and it's a phenomenal feeling. The hard work and effort pays off and it's good for our golfers to be rewarded for that."
The Hornets shot even-par 288 to slice into the Lumberjacks' advantage – and finish the tournament at 14-over par 878 (286-304-288) – but NAU held off the two-time defending champion by shooting a 9-over par 297. The championship was the Lumberjacks' first since 2015 and capped a three-year turnaround since they finished seventh in 2019.
"We've come a long way and there was a lot of soul-searching as a coach," Bedortha said. "We struggled and we went to tournaments and we were irrelevant. We put in a lot of work to redefine our culture, and I felt comfortable we were moving in the right direction. I won't take 100 percent of the credit because it's taken a lot of commitment from our golfers and we've had support from our administrators and it's given us a foundation."
NAU's tournament championship secures an NCAA Regional berth. The NCAA Regional will be held from May 9-11 and the Lumberjacks will learn their fate on the NCAA Women's Golf Selection Show next Wednesday, April 27 at 1 p.m. on the Golf Channel.
In addition to the Lumberjacks' team title, sophomore
Ekaterina Malakhova became the first NAU golfer to win the individual conference title in five years. Malakhova, carding a final round 2-over par 74, is the seventh different Lumberjack Big Sky Champion and the eighth overall.
"I'm so excited and I'm happy with my game all three days," Malakhova said. "I need more time to understand my emotions because I don't really understand it right now because I'm so excited."
Malakhova concluded the tournament at 5-under par 211 (68-69-74), tying the fifth-lowest individual score in Big Sky Championship history and the second-lowest 54-hole score by a Lumberjack in program history.
As she did throughout the first two rounds of the tournament, Malakhova settled in after a bogey. On Wednesday, Malakhova bogeyed hole 5 – putting her at 2-over par for the day – and responded by playing the next 12 holes to 1-under par before a bogey on the last hole. Malakhova finished the tournament with 11 birdies – tied for second-most in the field – and was tied for the top score on the par 3 holes and was the outright top golfer on par 4's.
Firing the best round on Wednesday was senior
Elle Kocourkova, who ensured her collegiate career would be extended into the NCAA Regionals. Kocourkova, finishing in a tie for ninth at 5-over par 221 (74-75-72), played the final 18 holes to even-par 72 with 16 pars on the day.
Kocourkova, along with junior
Lorel Hayward, were the top golfers in terms of pars. She finished with 43 to Hayward's 41.
Speaking of Hayward, she joined Malakhova on the All-Tournament Team giving the 'Jacks two All-Tournament members for the second consecutive year. Hayward matched Malakhova's 2-over par 74 in the third round. Tying for fourth overall, Hayward posted her lowest 54-hole score of her career at 3-over par 219 (73-72-74).
Malakhova, Hayward and Kocourkova were the first set of NAU golfers in the top 10 at the conference championship since 2011.
Behind Malakhova, Hayward and Kocourkova, seniors
Aleksandra Chekalina and
Ashley Croft tied for 18th and 25th respectively following third round 5-over par 77's. Chekalina finished at 9-over par 225 (73-75-77) and Croft shot 12-over par 228 (80-71-77).
Playing with just five golfers the entire spring, the Lumberjacks persevered through a semester of adversity to string together a pair of runner-up tournament finishes before ending their seven-year championship drought.
"I'm so proud of our team, all five girls," Malakhova said. "I love them all and they're my best friends. We did a great job this week."
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Full Team Leaderboard
1. Northern Arizona – 288-287-297 = 872 (+8)
2. Sacramento State – 286-304-288 = 878 (+14)
3. Weber State – 293-297-296 = 886 (+22)
4. Idaho – 299-291-303 = 893 (+29)
5. Eastern Washington – 301-300-303 = 904 (+40)
T6. Northern Colorado – 312-301-299 = 912 (+48)
T6. Southern Utah – 309-300-303 = 912 (+48)
8. Montana – 309-305-300 = 914 (+50)
9. Montana State – 304-302-312 = 918 (+54)
10. Idaho State – 308-297-314 = 919 (+55)
11. Portland State – 312-300-309 = 921 (+57)
NAU Individual Scores
1.
Ekaterina Malakhova – 68-69-74 = 211 (-5)
T4.
Lorel Hayward – 73-72-74 = 219 (+3)
T9.
Elle Kocourkova – 74-75-72 = 221 (+5)
T18.
Aleksandra Chekalina – 73-75-77 = 225 (+9)
T25.
Ashley Croft – 80-71-77 = 228 (+12)
Gallery: (4-20-2022) Big Sky Championship Day 3
