Women’s golf hopes to hit it big in season finale

Sagee+Palavivatana+competed+in+all+nine+round+of+the+2012-2013+season

Sagee Palavivatana competed in all nine round of the 2012-2013 season

State Hornet Staff

Sacramento State women’s golf is gearing up for its final scheduled tournament of the season, where head coach David Sutherland is hindering the team’s potential Big Sky Championship success on one player.

Sutherland said junior Sagee Palavivatana will have to perform at her highest level in order for the women to clinch first place and advance to regionals.

“We won’t be able to win unless she plays well, it’s that simple,” Sutherland said. “I really think that she is a connector and when she plays well the team plays well.”

In Palavivatana’s last outing, the junior recorded her worst finish of the season tied for 71st at the Cowgirl Classic in Maricopa, Ariz. This year she placed in the top-30 three times out of eight competitions compared to the five she recorded last season.

“She hasn’t played very well in the last two tournaments,” Sutherland said. “She’s going to have to expend a little bit more mental energy and work harder on the golf course.”

Sutherland said she is by far one of the hardest working players on the team because she puts in extra hours of practice and training to perfect her all-around game to edge out her competition.

Palavivatana has struggled to hit the long ball as hard as her teammates, but she said she makes up for it in her short game and mental preparation out on the course.

“I hit (the ball) pretty straight, but I’m not one of those hitters who can bomb it down (the fairway),” Palavivatana said.

The junior considers this season as a personal setback and with help from psychologist Cindy Long-Nicolson, she has taken up meditation. Palavivatana hopes her new routine will payoff heading into the final tournament this spring.

“I’m trying to be optimistic about the tournament,” she said. “Anything can happen.”

Palavivatana is the only player on the roster who has made three straight appearances for the Hornets in the conference championships. She said her familiarity with the Ocotillo golf course will give her an extra advantage because she knows what to expect.

“I’m pretty much able to picture each of the holes and know where I need to place (the ball),” Palavivatana said. “I feel pretty solid about that course.”

Sac State finished fifth overall and will return three out of the five women who competed in the tournament from last season.

Seniors Tiffany Nichols and Lisa Persson will lead the team in the top positions, while sophomore Rockelle Sande and freshman Chloe Bartek will be making their first championship appearance.

Bartek is coming off of a stellar performance, where she placed ninth overall and led the Hornets to an eighth place victory in the Cowgirl Classic.

“I feel pretty confident in my game right now, but it’s going to be different from a normal tournament,” Bartek said. “I’m going to go in and assess what’s going on around me, try not to get too nervous, focus on my game and root my teammates on.”

For the first time in her collegiate career she put one-under-par and is leading the team with the second lowest combined stroke average at 77.38.

Sande also has the capability to contribute low scores for the team, Sutherland said. She has competed in seven tournaments so far this year in comparison to her three appearances last season.

She shaved four strokes off of her game, averaging 83.50 last year to 79.11 this season. The sophomore is a good long hitter in comparison to other women on the team according to Palavivatana.

“I believe the win in Hawaii is still fresh in our mind (Oct. 29-31),” Palavivatana said. “I think going into conference we’ll definitely carry that on our shoulders and know it’s possible to (win) again.”

The Hornets will battle against a field of 11 teams in the Big Sky Championships and are looking to knock off defending champions Northern Arizona and other competition to reach the NCAA women’s golf tournament.

The tournament format will be playing three rounds of 18-holes over a span of three days versus playing 36-holes the first day then 18-holes on the final day.

There were only three tournaments that featured the 18-hole a day format this season, where the women claimed the overall victory in the Rainbow Wahine Invitational and placed second in the Red Rocks Invitational.

Sutherland is confident he has selected a strong squad to compete for the conference title.

“It’s a very successful group,” Sutherland said. “They’re winners on and off of the golf course and that’s why I think we are going to win our conference.”

The Hornets will travel to Chandler, Ariz., where Big Sky Championship play begins Monday, April 21 at Ocotillo Golf Club.