WOMEN'S GOLF: Nishimura takes third at ASC Championship
LUFKIN, Texas – LeTourneau's Candice Nishimura carded a two-day score of 174 to take third place at the American Southwest Conference women's golf championship Tuesday.
Nishimura turned in identical rounds of 87 on Monday and Tuesday to finish 30-over-par at the Crown Colony Country Club golf course in Lufkin. She finished tied with Danica Weddle of Texas-Tyler, but held the advantage on the handicap tiebreaker.
A junior from San Mateo, Calif., Nishimura climbed four places after finishing Monday's first round in seventh place. She shot a 40 on the front nine holes of the opening round. Nishimura and Weddle edged Katie Crawford of UT Tyler by one stroke.
Taylor O'Rear of Mary Hardin-Baylor won the individual event with a score of 17-over-par 161. O'Rear was the only player in the field with a score under 171 on the challenging course.
Nishimura, who carded a birdie on Monday and several pars Tuesday, recorded her highest-ever finish at the ASC Championship. As a freshman at the 2010 championship in Horseshoe Bay, Texas, Nishimura placed fifth after shooting 167. She placed 12th last year.
A favorite among LeTourneau and ASC staff as well as opposing players, the affable Nishimura was also the recipient of the ASC's Sportsmanship Award for the second year in a row.
Nishimura's Top Ten performance also earned her All-ASC First Team accolades for the second time in her collegiate career.
With O'Rear and teammate Sara Eckert (27-over-par 171) leading the way, the UMHB Lady Cru won the women's team championship with a combined score of 686, 31 strokes ahead of second-place Texas-Tyler.
