The UNM women's golf team led wire to wire en route to its third straight Dick McGuire Invitational title Thursday through Saturday - and set a few records along the way.
Rounds of 295-281-295-871 gave the Lobos a convincing 16-stroke victory over second-place Oklahoma State University at the 6,069-yard, par 73 UNM Championship Course.
The 7-under total of 871 and the 11-under 281 the Lobos posted in the second round are both tournament records.
"Everyone stepped up when they needed to," junior Kailin Downs said. "To know we can go out and shoot 11-under-par - we'll definitely draw on that the rest of the year."
Downs, who rarely finished outside the top-10 last year but never got a win, decided to set a record of her own. She fired rounds of 70-68-74-212 to finish 7-under-par, tie the tournament record for individuals and earn her first career college victory.
"I don't know that there are words to describe it," she said. "It's really cool to have done it at our home course with my parents there."
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Downs had never held an 18, 36, or much less, 54-hole lead. And that elusive first win was still in doubt with three holes to play Saturday.
Downs was paired with Oklahoma State's Karin Sjodin, with whom she was tied starting the final round. A seesaw battle ensued, with the players once again drawing even after a Downs bogey at the par-4 15th hole.
But at the next hole, a devilish par-4 with an elevated green, the junior responded. She played a driver and a 7-iron to within three feet of the cup, tapped in for birdie and made two clutch pars on the way in to seal the deal.
"I'm not going to say I didn't know what the score was between us," she said. "I felt some pressure, but the main thing this week is that I stayed patient and just let it happen instead of trying to make it happen."
Junior Shannon Johnson also turned in a career-best performance at the McGuire. Johnson finished with a 1-under-par total of 218, good for fifth place. Her 2-under 71 was Saturday's low round.
Freshman Ashley Rollins continued to impress this time out, finishing seventh at 2-over 220.
Senior Katrina Leckovic was two further back at 222, in a ninth-place tie.
Competing as an individual, junior Christina Spence finished eighth at 221.
