Corvallis, Ore. – Last week Taya Battistella recorded a second straight 84 to finish 74th (tie) at the NCAA Women’s Golf West Regional at Trysting Tree Golf Course. Battistella shot 74-84-84 (242) in the 54-hole event.
Battistella began the event with an amazing opening-round (74) that left her tied for ninth. But she slipped to 59th on Friday, then 74th the following day in the 107-player field. Despite her final two rounds, the junior completed the best season ever for a Portland State woman golfer.
Battistella became the first Viking in the four-year history of the program to earn All-Big Sky Conference honors when she won the Big Sky Championship on Apr. 25 in Ogden, Utah. She shot 80-70-69 for a three-over par 219 and seven-stroke victory.
Battistella established new standards at Portland State as the first women’s golfer ever to win the Big Sky individual title, and leading the team to its best-ever finish (third) at the conference tournament. Battistella’s 70 and 69 were also the two best individual scores ever for a Viking woman.
The native of Bend, Ore. set new Big Sky Conference records for lowest (69) and second-lowest (70) single rounds in the eight-year history of the event. Battistella’s 219 also eclipsed the previous 54-hole record of 223 set in 1999 by Tenille Howe of Weber State.
Arizona won the West Regional Championship with a 54-hole team score of four-over 868. Sun Devil Natalie Gulbis won the individual title with a nine-under 207.