Purdue Women's Golf advances to NCAA Championship

Las Vegas weather showed its teeth on Wednesday as 80 degrees and sunny gave out to 50's with wind gusts up to 30 mph as Purdue Women's Golf team fought through conditions and a tough course to advance to the NCAA Championships after a runner-up finish at the NCAA Las Vegas Regional at Spanish Trail Country Club.

Purdue started the day four shots behind #9 Arkansas and ended the day 4 shots behind the Razorbacks, good for a second place finish. The top-five teams in the regional all advances to the NCAA Championship at Omni La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California May 17th to 22nd.

It is the program's 19th trip to the NCAA Championships.

For a little while there, it looked like Purdue might win the regional all on its own.

Led by Jocelyn Bruch, who shot a team best 74 (+2), Purdue took the lead near halfway through the round today after some par-3 fireworks. Bruch, a Carmel, Indiana native, who led the tournament in pars also had a hole in one on the 203-yard par-3 seventh.

But conditions and a tough back nine would have Purdue give back the lead to Arkansas with both teams struggling during the final stretch. Arkansas finished the day shooting an identical 304 to Purdue, tying with the Boilers for the second straight day. Its four shot lead from day one is the difference between the teams.

Purdue had a freshmen shine all week with Jasmine Kahler shooting a team low even par on the three day tournament going 71-70-75 --- 216. That was good for a tie for 8th best individual performance in the tournament ensuring that she'll be making a trip home to Carlsbad next week where she's from. It was Kahler's first top 10 as part of the Purdue lineup.

Momo Sugiyama took an eight on a hole today after finding water twice, but was still tied for 11th individually with a 71-69-77 -- 217 (+1) for the tournament.

Ashley Kozlowski's 71-69-78 -- 218 (+2) had her tied for 13th best in the tournament.

Purdue now moves on with Arkansas, Baylor, #4 UCLA, and #19 Florida State to advance to the NCAA Championships next week.