News
College Players of the Week, Nov. 1-7
MEN
T.J. Bordeaux, University of the Pacific
Coach Brandon Goethals called the Tigers' win at their home event, the Stockton Sports Commission Pacific Invitational, a "double whammy" since the team got to claim a victory in front of its own fans at Brookside CC in Stockton, Calif., for the first time since 1992. Make it a triple whammy, though, when you consider the performance of Bordeaux, who shot a 15-under 198 to claim medalist honors. The senior from Tacoma, Wash., posted a school-record 61 in the second round to help set up a three-stoke triumph over SMU's Kelly Kraft. Bordeaux birdied the final three holes to bring his total to 10 during his record setting round, which was three strokes better than Pacific's previous low mark.
"It was unbelievable," said Bordeaux of the 61, five stroke better than his own previous best. "To get off to a good start was a big thing. Five under on the front, yesterday I shot one over, so once I got off to a good start I thought 'alright I can go low on the back'. I made a great birdie on 10 and birdies kept coming and kept coming and by the time I made the putt on 18 it was just unbelievable. It was pretty special."
Honorable mention: Vince India, Iowa
The senior claimed his second individual title of the fall with a 10-under 132 at the rain-shortened Royal Oaks Intercollegiate. His pair of 66s also helped the Hawkeyes win their fourth team title in five starts.
__WOMEN
__[#image: /photos/55ad70f6add713143b4224a5]|||Sophia Popov.jpeg|||
Sophia Popov, USC
With a closing 67 at Stanford GC in Palo Alto, Calif., shot in rainy conditions Sunday, the freshman lunged past UCLA's__Stephanie Kono__ by one stroke to claim medalist honors at the Pac-10/SEC Challenge. Popov, started the day T-5, but made five birdies and one bogey to finish at six-under 207 overall. It was the native of Germany's first college victory after she claimed the International European Ladies Amateur title this past summer.
Honorable mention: Tiffany Schoning, Portland State
The junior shot a career-best final-round 69 to jump from T-6 to first place at the Turtle Bay Collegiate Invitational in Hawaii, winning her first college title with a two-over 218 total.