Leina seals spot in Nationals

Colorado State University-Pueblo Junior Leina Kim needed a birdie putt in the playoff hole to secure the third and final berth in the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Championship set next week in Allendale, Michigan.

Leina Kim earns another chance of playing in the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Championship next week after securing the third and final spot in the regional tournament. (CSU-Pueblo Ladythunderwolves)

Kim, who finished the third round with a 4-over 76, was forced to a playoff by Dallas Baptist’s Sydney Williams as they both finished with a three-day total of 5-over 221, which was one shot behind the 4-over 220s of co-leaders Brenna Moore of Midwestern State and Academy of Art’s Crystal Wang.

Kim and Williams, according to the CSU-Pueblo Lady ThunderWolves website, played in the par-4 No. 10 for the playoff with the Saipan-born golfer hitting her tee shot down the middle of the fairway, while the latter landed in a fairway bunker.

Both players were going to putt for birdie after Kim placed her approach shot within five feet of the hole with Williams’ bunker shot landing on the green.

Kim then rolled in the birdie putt to beat Williams by one stroke to seal another trip to the Nationals, her second after also qualifying for the first time as a freshman in 2013. She could have earned a second straight appearance last season but signing an incorrect scorecard in the regional tournament cost her the berth.

Kim, who jumped from 25th to a tie for third place following a 4-under 68 in Day 2 at the challenging Foxtail Golf Club at Rohnert Park in California, bogeyed three of her first holes to go 4-over in the tournament.

She then pared holes No. 5 to 8 before closing out with a bogey that kept her at 4-over with nine more holes to go and 5-over in the tournament. She then opened the back with five straight pars that kept her in contention for the individual crown.

Birdies on No. 15 and 16, and a par at No. 17 kept her at 2-over for the round and 3-over in the tournament that helped strengthen her title bid. But a double-bogey on No. 18 sent her back to 5-over.

Kim finished the three-day, 54 hole NCAA West Regional Tournament at 5-over 221. She will join Moore and Wang to the Nationals set from May 13 to 16 at the Meadows Golf Course to be hosted by Grand Valley State in Allendale, Michigan.

Tarleton State won the team crown with a three-day haul of 29-over 893, while St. Edward’s finished second with a 34-over 898. Tournament host Sonoma State tallied 38-over 902 for third place to clinch the team category in next week’s Nationals.