Oregon State
Dick McGuire Invitational
Benzin Paces Beavers At Fall's First Event
September 15, 2015 | Women's Golf
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Olivia Benzin was very impressive in her first collegiate tournament.
A freshman from Tacoma, Wash., who has Gary Payton listed as her favorite athlete on her bio, Benzin led the Oregon State women's golf team with a tie for 54th place at the Beavers' first tournament of the 2015-16 season, which concluded Tuesday.
Benzin carded a 10-over 229 at the two-day, 54-hole Dick McGuire Invitational, including a solid 1-over 74 in the final round at the par-73, 6,315-yard Championship Golf Course at the University of New Mexico. She was steady throughout, dropping two birdies on the final day after getting one in each of the first two rounds.
As a team, the Beavers wrapped up the fall's first event in 17th place with a 63-over 312-321-306--939. Stanford ran away with the team title, shooting a 20-under 856, to win a tournament that featured nine teams ranked among the Top 30 in Golfweek's preseason poll.
Sophomore Haley Nist matched Benzin with a 1-over 74 in the final round to move up the leaderboard into a tie for 61st place with a 12-over 77-80-74--231. She had two birdies in the final round and ended the tourney with five overall.
Senior Ashlee Pickerell finished in a tie for 89th place with a 29-over 79-80-83--242, while senior Chelsea Saelee and sophomore Hannah Swanson both shot a 25-over 244 to finish in a tie for 96th place.
Sara Cho of Northwestern, who competed as an individual, claimed medalist honors with an 8-under 211, a stroke better than Mariah Stackhouse of Stanford.
The Beavers have two weeks off before they compete at the Rose City Collegiate on Monday, Sept. 28 and Tuesday, Sept. 29 at Langdon Farms Golf Club in Aurora, Ore.
