NMSU's Emma Bunch wins fifth straight tournament, CUSA title
Apr. 17—What's better than four straight?
Five straight — for a conference title, no less.
New Mexico State's Emma Bunch won the Conference USA women's golf individual championship Tuesday, shooting a final-round one-under 71 to claim an unbelievable fifth-straight finish atop the leaderboard.
A Lynge, Denmark native, Bunch previously finished alone or tied for the individual lead at the UNF Collegiate, GCU Invitational, PING/ASU Invitational and the Wyoming Cowgirl Classic this season — a winning streak dating all the way back to Feb. 27. The sophomore's seven-under 209 (68-70-71) at High Meadow Ranch Golf Club in Magnolia, Texas secured the Aggies' first individual conference title since Dominique Galloway, who played at Cleveland High, won a WAC title in 2019.
Among the Aggies' best career scorers, Bunch made four birdies on Tuesday to finish with a field-best 14. The former Danish National Team representative also finished with the lowest scoring averages on par-3s (2.83) and par-5s (4.33).
Bunch's performance on the week sets up her first appearance in the upcoming NCAA Championships as an automatic qualifier. She will learn her location out of six regional sites during the NCAA Championships Selection Show on Wednesday, April 24 via Golf Channel.
Behind Bunch (-7 for the tournament), Sam Houston State's Jennifer Herbst (-6) and Vierra Permata Rosada (-3) finished second and third, respectively. NMSU's Alison Gastelum and Western Kentucky's Catie Craig tied for fourth at two-under to round out the top five.
NMSU's Kaylee Chen finished two-over (74-71-73) and placed 10th overall. Isabel Lauhle (+9, 71-76-78) tied for 20th and Angela Garvin (+17, 75-82-76) tied for 29th.
One year after winning a WAC team title, Sam Houston State shot a 14-under 850 (286-285-279) for its first CUSA championship. The Aggies carded an even-par 864 (287-286-291) to place second as Western Kentucky finished 13 strokes behind for third.
UNM: Highlighted by another strong day from Lauren Lehigh, New Mexico women's golf shot a field-best 281 on Wednesday to surge into third place behind San Jose State and UNLV at the Mountain West Championships.
Lehigh carded a three-under 69 at Mission Hills Country Club (Dinah Shore Tournament Course) in Rancho Mirage, California to remain in sole possession of the individual lead at five-under. UNM's Myah MacDonald matched her teammate, shooting three-under on Tuesday to set up a four way tie for second with Leah John (Nevada), Kajsa Arwefjall (San Jose State) and Lucia Lopez-Ortega (San Jose State).
Fellow Lobos Maria Caparros Levin and Lisa-Marie Pagliano shot one-under 71 and even-par 72, respectively, to end the second round tied in 26th place. Anita Saechueng carded a four-over 76 to sit at nine-over for the week.
San Jose State remains in first place at eight-under (280-288) while UNLV finished Tuesday in second at one-over (289-288). UNM trails the Rebels by one shot at two-over (297-281) heading into Thursday's final round of the conference tournament.
