Linfield's Wheeler Wins Individual NWC Title

Puget Sound won the team title at the NWC Championships.

Leslie Wheeler Photo: Linfield Athletics

SISTERS, Ore. - Leslie Wheeler extended her lead in the final round of the Northwest Conference Womens’s Golf Championships on Sunday and was the individual medalist by seven strokes at Aspen Lakes Golf Course.

Wheeler fired a second-round 79 to finish a 156 two-day total.

Emily Lau of Puget Sound and Whitney Ueno of Willamette tied with 36-hole totals of 163.

Wheeler was the only player in the tournament to break 80 on back-to-back days.

Linfield shot the best team round of the day, 349, and cut into Puget Sound’s 14-shot lead but ultimately finished second by eight strokes.

Puget Sound finished with a two-day score of 703, with Linfield next at 711. The Wildcats were 17 shots ahead of third-place Whitworth.

"Everybody played steady and remained tough in the difficult conditions," said Wildcats coach Karly Cramer. "I was pleased to see the team improve and come within eight shots of winning in the final round."

Brittany Johnson was six shots better for Linfield on the second day, improving from 94 to 88. She finished 13th overall.

Nicole Miller followed her first-day 97 with a 91 and Shawnie Dakan improved from 100 to 91 on Sunday. Dakan didn’t factor into the scoring on Saturday.

Rachel Warwick, who shot a 94 on Saturday, carded 100 on Sunday and was replaced in the team score by Dakan.

"Each player contributed to our second-place finish and it was truly a team effort," praised Cramer. "Leslie played her typical steady game and carded two very good rounds to earn medalist honors. What a great way to finish her last regular-season tournament."

Puget Sound emerged with 31 points in the final Northwest Conference championship point standings, bettering Linfield’s 27.

Rounding out the scoring were Whitworth 23, Willamette 22, Pacific 16.5, Pacific Lutheran 9.5, George Fox 8, Whitman 3, and Lewis & Clark, incomplete. Whitman did not field a team.

AHEAD: As conference medalist, Wheeler is in contention to compete as an individual at the NCAA Division III championships.

Invitations will be announced Monday, April 30th.

The NCAA championships are slated for May 8th-11th at El Campeon Golf Course at the Mission Inn Resort & Club in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla

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