RESULTS
(GOLETA, Calif.)
Kiara Hernandez entered the final round of the Westmont Invitational in a four-way tie atop the leaderboard but ran away from the field on Tuesday for her first collegiate victory.
Hernandez carded a three-under 69, five strokes better than anyone else on the day, to win the tournament at Sandpiper G.C. by eight shots over her next closest competitor.
"She is a constant, steady performer and has been knocking on this door for two years now," Head Coach
Lance Hancock said of Hernandez, who posted her seventh Top-5 finish the past two seasons for Point Loma. "I'm so proud and happy for her, and I don't believe this will be the last one we see her win."
Point Loma's No. 1 player recorded five birdies on the day and was bogey-free until the last two holes, extending her advantage atop the leaderboard to as many as 10 strokes.
Hernandez took the solo lead following a birdie on the par-five fifth and then led by four shots after the front nine.
"Her mindset is, 'If I shoot under par, I beat the golf course. If I shoot even par, I tie it, and if I shoot over, the course got me,'" Hancock said. "She's not even thinking about who she's going against, she's just playing her golf ball like you're supposed to."
Back-to-back birdies on the par-three 11th and par-four 12th increased her lead to six before she once again carded consecutive birdies on the par-five 15th and par-four 16th.
Hancock was impressed by Hernandez's wedge play on Tuesday.
"With as much power as she has, she's going to be hitting a lot of wedges," Hancock said. "We committed to each other that if we dial those clubs in, 130 yards in, she will find results. She's starting to hit her wedges to her number."
Not even two-straight bogeys on holes 17 and 18, including a lip-out on the final green, could dampen the mood for Hernandez, who was doused with water by her teammates in celebration of her individual victory.
Hernandez led Point Loma's charge up the leaderboard as a team, with the Sea Lions entering the day 11 shots back of leaders and tournament hosts Westmont.
PLNU took a two-shot team lead through 12 holes as a group and then were level with the Warriors through 15, before the Sea Lions had to settle for second place just four shots behind Westmont.
"You see them fighting, so my hat's off to them and the effort," Hancock said.
Bella Gunasayan placed 10th after shooting a second round 77 for her second-consecutive top-10 individual finish.
Zara Houghton finished a shot behind in a tie for 11th, with
Sofy Cardenas (24th) and
Mallory Hopper (T-25th) rounding out the Sea Lions' starting five.
Point Loma concludes the fall portion of its 2024-25 schedule next week at the Vanguard Fall Invitational on Tuesday and Wednesday at Oak Valley G.C. in Beaumont.
HERNANDEZ ROUND 2 INTERVIEW
