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SAN JOSE DEL CABO, Mexico - The top-ranked Bruins and junior Lilia Vu both came from behind to win team and medalist honors at the inaugural Battle at the Beach at the Club Campestre San Jose on Sunday.
UCLA, which was five strokes back of Oklahoma heading into the final round, shot a tournament-best, 12-under 272 on Sunday to defeat the Sooners by three. The Bruins concluded the three-day tournament at -13 (839). UCLA ends the fall with three wins in a row, having also won at the Stanford Intercollegiate (Oct. 16-18) and the Nanea Pac-12 Preview (Oct. 23-24). The Bruins picked up the program's 12th victory over the last three seasons and the 65th of head coach Carrie Forsyth's career.
Vu recorded the fifth tournament victory of her career, overcoming a one-shot deficit to win by one thanks to a closing 67 (-4). She finished at 8-under 205 to defeat Wake Forest's Jennifer Kupcho (-7). Vu was even par after five holes, posting a pair of birdies on #3 and #4 and two bogeys. The junior then made four birdies in a seven-hole stretch on #7, #9, #10 and #13. She would par out and hold on to the one-shot triumph.
Junior Beth Wu had the lowest round of the tournament with a 5-under 66 to finish in a tie for sixth at 3-under (210). After a par on her first hole (#3), a birdie on #4 and five straight pars, Wu recorded four birdies in a row on holes #10 through #13, gaining another stroke on #15. Wu would finish her round with a bogey on #2 but still posted her best collegiate round ever.
Sophomore Mariel Galdiano fired a 3-under 68 to tie for 11th (E, 213). She birdied four of her five holes (#4, #6, #7 and #8), adding another one on #17, to go with a pair of bogeys. Freshman Patty Tavatanakit shot an even-par 71 to tie for 16th (+2, 215). She balanced her books with birdies on #4, #7 and #13 and three bogeys. Sophomore Clare Legaspi tied for 42nd (+9, 222) after shooting a final-round 77 (+6). She made a pair of birdies on #12 and #4, six bogeys and one double. Freshman Vera Markevich, playing as an individual, shot a 3-over 74 (80th, +26, 239), making three birdies on #1, #5 and #15 to go with six bogeys.
The Bruins resume their tournament schedule five weeks into the new year, playing at the Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge at Palos Verdes Golf Club in Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. (Feb. 11-13).