Hurricanes Share Edwin Watts/Kiawah Island Classic Title
Feb. 24, 2009
Edwin Watts/Kiawah Classic Final Results 
Kiawah Island, S.C. – University of Miami sophomore Christina Hirano finished tied for sixth after shooting even-par 72 for her highest finish in her UM career, and the Hurricanes recorded their best score shooting 11-over par 299 in the tournament’s final round to capture a share of the title at Edwin Watts/Kiawah Island Classic on Tuesday at Cougar Point Golf Club.
Miami won its first team tournament since the 2004-05 season, when the Hurricanes won the Ryder Florida Collegiate Golf Championship – one of two tournaments UM won that season. The Edwin Watts/Kiawah Island Classic was the largest collegiate women’s golf event in the country. Of the 43 teams participating in the tournament, 21 were currently ranked in the top 100 by Golfweek and five top 40 teams finished behind Miami.
The Hurricanes shot a season-best 904 for the tournament tying Central Arkansas (904) who also earned a share of the title. Miami and Central Arkansas were declared co-champions since both teams could not participate in a playoff due to travel arrangements. East Tennessee State (908) finished third followed by No. 27 Florida (912) who was fourth and No. 34 Ole Miss (913) who placed fifth. No. 45 Kentucky, No. 28 Oregon and No. 40 UCF were the other nationally ranked top 40 teams placing in the top 10.
Four UM golfers placed in the top 40 of the 215 golfers in the field. Central Arkansas’s Nicole Forshner and ETSU’s Sinead O’Sullivan tied for the individual title after shooting two-over par 218.
Christina Hirano turned in her best performance of the tournament Tuesday shooting even-par 72 in claiming the second top 10 finish for her this season. She ended up shooting five-over par 221, which also was a season best. She played solid for the Hurricanes picking up four birdies in a day for the second time in the tournament as she shot one-over par 37 on the front nine and one-under par 35 on the back nine.
Freshman Begona Sarabia led Miami on the day firing a one-over par 73 as she tied for 14th. Sarabia tallied a nine-over par 225 in her 54 holes of golf, which also was a season-best.
Fellow freshman Jennifer Hirano shot five-over par 77 in her final round finishing in a tie for 25th. She was 12-over par 228 for the tournament. Sophomore Maria Ronderos matched Hirano also shooting five-over par 77 in her final round. Ronderos collected two birdies and ended the tournament tied for 37th.
Senior Anabelle Paulino posted a nine-over par 81 on the final 18 holes and shot 241.
The Hurricanes will now hit the road for the Spartan Invitational hosted by San Jose State in San Jose, Calif. on Mar. 2-3.
Miami Individual Results
T6 Christina Hirano 75-74-72=221 (+5)
T14 Begona Sarabia 72-80-73=225 (+9)
T25 Jennifer Hirano 77-74-77=228 (+12)
T37 Maria Ronderos 76-77-77=230(+14)
T115 Anabelle Paulino 79-81-81=241 (+25)
Team Results
T1 Miami (Fla.) 300-305-299=904 (+40)
T1 Central Arkansas 310-300-294=904 (+40)
3 East Tennessee St. 300-306-302=908 (+44)
4 Florida 309-303-300=912 (+48)
5 Mississippi 305-306-302=913 (+49)
6 College of Charleston 307-310-298=915(+51)
T7 Kentucky 312-302-303=917 (+53)
T7 Oregon 310-311-296=917 (+45)
9 UCF 306-307-305=918 (+54)
T10 South Florida 314-304-306=924 (+60)
T10 Oregon State 319-309-296=924 (+60)
T12 Augusta State 315-307-303=925 (+61)
T12 Western Carolina 306-311-308=925 (+61)
T14 Illinois State 319-300-301=926 (+62)
T14 Oral Roberts 303-318-305=926 (+62)
– UM –
