CMS Women's Golf Wins Claremont Challenge By 12 Shots, Cheng Shoots 70 to Set 36-Hole Record

GolfStat Scoring

SAN DIMAS, Calif. - Stella Cheng shot a 70 for her second straight round under par, setting a new program record with a 137 over 36 holes, as the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's golf team took first place at its host Claremont Challenge on Sunday at San Dimas Canyon Golf Course.

A day after setting a program record with a 283 (-5), the Athenas grinded out a 296 to finish the tournament at 579 (+3), which was enough to add to their lead over Menlo and Redlands. CMS finished 12 shots ahead of Menlo, after coming in with an eight-stroke lead, and 20 shots ahead of Redlands, adding five to their margin over a Bulldogs team that shared the No. 1 ranking in Division III with Emory (CMS came in tied for No. 12 in the country).

Cheng earned individual medalist honors with her 137 (-7), while Esther Lee followed up her 68 with a 74 to come in at -2 for the tournament, the first time that the Athenas have had two players come in under par for a 36-hole tournament. Kendall Nicholson of Redlands was third with a 144 (E). 

Cheng played bogey-free golf yesterday, with five birdies on her way to a 67, and had a bogey-free front nine on Sunday as well, making the turn at -2. She added another birdie on 11 to drop to -3, and then hit her first adversity of the weekend with bogeys on No. 13 and No. 14, but bounced back to birdie the par-3 16th to finish at -2 for the round and -7 for the tournament. 

Esther Lee and Irene Jun both closed out their rounds with birdies on 18 to help seal the team victory for the Athenas. Both made the turn at even par, and then had some hiccups on the back nine at the end of a tournament played in hot conditions. Lee was able to finish off her 74, and Jun ended with a 76 with her birdie on 18. 

Jeissy Lee was the fourth scorer for CMS, after a steady front nine which saw her collect nine pars. She added pars on No. 10 and No. 11, before running into some adversity on the back nine as well, but closed out with two straight pars to finish with a 76. 

Lauren Fue, who was playing as an individual, had an impressive round on Sunday as well, earning an even-par 72 which vaulted her up to a top 10 finish (tenth). Jun finished seventh, and Jeissy Lee was 11th, to support the 1-2 finish from Cheng and Esther Lee. 

CMS will finish off its fall schedule on Friday, when it competes in a dual against Whittier.