Women’s Golf: Lillie posts second consecutive runner-up finish

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Playing just 35 miles from her home in Fullerton, Calif., Virginia graduate student Beth Lillie placed second at the Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge at Palos Verdes Golf Club on Tuesday. It marked the second consecutive tournament Lillie has finished as the runner-up.

During Tuesday’s final round, Lillie shot 3-under 68 to complete the 54-hole event at 5-under 208 on the par-71 Palos Verdes Golf Club course. Wake Forest’s Rachel Kuehn claimed medalist honors at 10-under 203. Lillie’s final round score was the second best in the field during the final round of play. It was the 16th top-10 finish for Lillie during her UVA career.

In UVA’s last outing, Lillie was the runner up at the Moon Golf Invitational, where she shot a career-best 7-under 209.

Virginia finished the 16-team tournament in third place at 12-over 864. The Cavaliers posted a final-round score of 13-over 297, their highest single-round total for the event. No. 2 Oregon won the team title at 4-under 848. A total of 10 teams in the field are ranked the top-25 of the current Golfstat standings.

Lillie was joined near the top of the leaderboard by sophomore teammate Jennifer Cleary. She shot 3-over 74 during the final round and tied for sixth place at 1-over 214. UVA senior Riley Smyth fell back to 43rd after carding a final round of 83. Freshman Amanda Sambach was 52nd after shooting 226 and Celeste Valinho placed 54th at 227. Sambach closed with a final-day score of 76 while Valinho shot 79.

UVA’s next tournament action comes March 25-27 at the PING ASU Invitational at Papago Golf Club in Phoenix, Ariz.

Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge

Palos Verdes Golf Club
Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.
Par 71, 6,017 yards
Final Results

Team Results

1. Oregon 287-279-282-848

2. Wake Forest 292-280-283-855

3. Virginia 287-280-297-864

4. Arizona State 291-284-290-865

5. Texas 297-290-286-873

6. USC 295-287-293-875

7. Kent State 286-290-302-878

8. Baylor 304-287-288-879

8. Duke 290-292-297-879

10. Auburn 297-295-294-886

11. California 304-291-294-889

12. Arizona 293-295-302-890

13. Vanderbilt 301-298-296-895

14. Ohio State 298-302-299-899

15. Pepperdine 297-302-302-901

16. Georgetown 321-302-314-937

Individual Leaders

1. Rachel Kuehn, Wake Forest 67-67-69-203

2. Beth Lillie, Virginia 71-69-68-208

3. Alexandra Forsterling, Arizona State 75-67-67-209

Virginia Results

2. Beth Lillie 71-69-68-208

6. Jennifer Cleary 71-69-74-214

43. Riley Smyth 69-71-83-223

52. Amanda Sambach 76-74-76-226

54. Celeste Valinho 77-71-79-227