Golf team wins fourth Big Sky Championship

After Hannah Bews tapped in for birdie on the 18th hole yesterday, Vikings women’s golf coach Kathleen Takaishi approached the scorer’s table at the Foothills Golf Club in Phoenix, Ariz., and walked away in utter shock.

The first-year head coach learned her squad was in position to capture the Big Sky Championship.

Ten minutes later, official word came that the Vikings had won their fourth Big Sky Golf Championship in the last six years.

Takaishi had good reason to be in disbelief, as Portland State had underachieved nearly the entire season and many thought, as they entered the tournament, they would finish near the middle of the pack.

Thanks to a career-best, even-par 72 from Bews, a sophomore, the Vikings finished ahead of the entire pack, edging out second place Northern Arizona by two strokes and Eastern Washington by three strokes.

“I knew everyone had to play well to have a shot, and that is pretty much what we did,” Takaishi said.

Bews walked away with the individual title, beating out Northern Arizona’s Ali Carter by a pair of strokes. Portland State boosts two more top-10 finishers, with freshman Alexia Brown taking ninth and junior Kayla Morinaga winding up in a 10th-place tie. Eastern Washington was the only other school with three golfers in the top 10.

Portland State’s victory marks the third time Big Sky Championship fever has graced the South Park Blocks this year, with volleyball and men’s basketball also winning titles.

“I am just happy for them to have that postseason experience,” Takaishi said.

At the conclusion of the first round, Portland State was sitting in third place. However, with Bews fueling the fire to a tournament-best 297 team score, the Vikings catapulted into first place by the end of the second round Tuesday. Fighting off the Lumberjacks and Eagles, Portland State held on for the title in the third round Wednesday.

The Vikings will represent the Big Sky at the NCAA Regional Championship scheduled for May 10-12 in Sacramento, Calif. Takaishi said the team will take today off before preparing for regionals.