FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (August 6, 2022) – After three consecutive even par rounds, rising junior
Ekaterina Malakhova capped the Russian Golf Championship with a 1-under par 71 on Saturday to win her second tournament of the summer in her home country. Malakhova's four-round score of 1-under par 287 (72-72-72-71) was three strokes better than her next competitor, as she won the Russian Golf Championship for the fourth time in her career.
After her first round 72 on Wednesday, Malakhova was tied for third at three strokes behind the leader before she moved into a two-way tie for the lead following her second round 72.
Malakhova's third consecutive 72 on Friday, which included three straight birdies on the front nine, was good to push her into sole possession of the lead by a stroke. She finished the tournament with her low round of the tournament, tallying four birdies in the fourth round and carding one of two under-par rounds on Saturday.
Fellow Lumberjack teammates
Aleksandra Chekalina and
Nina Lukyanenko placed sixth and eighth respectively on the leaderboard, giving NAU three golfers in the top 10 overall.
Chekalina, a rising fifth-year golfer, shot 10-over par 298 (74-71-79-74) with her best 18 holes coming during Thursday's second round. Finishing the first round tied for seventh, Chekalina moved up to third on the leaderboard with a 1-under par 71, including six birdies on the day.
Lukyanenko, who will be entering her first season as a Lumberjack this fall, concluded the tournament at 14-over par 302 (77-80-67-78). Despite placing eighth, her third round 5-under par 67 was the lowest round by any golfer in the field over the four days. On Friday, she totaled six birdies to just one bogey and shot 4-under on the back nine to leap up seven spots individually to sixth by the end of the day.
The three Lumberjacks' performances follow up outstanding showings earlier this summer at the Russian Amateur Golf Championship, which Malakhova also won. Chekalina and Lukyanenko tied for third and fifth respectively.
Malakhova, Chekalina and Lukyanenko will make their way to Flagstaff to join the rest of their Lumberjack teammates at the end of the month ahead of the fall semester as NAU prepares to defend its Big Sky Championship in 2022-23.
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