Arizona State Captures NCAA D-I Women's Golf Championship

The Arizona State University women's golf team rallied from an early-round deficit of 11 shots to claim its first NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championship since 1998 and seventh overall.

Shooting a 3-over 291 on the final day of play at The Caves Golf Club in Owings Mills, Md., the Sun Devils finished at 30-over for the tournament, eight shots better than second-place UCLA.

"We started tough after the first two days and the resolve and the determination and the talent of these players just came through," said ASU head coach Melissa Luellen. "I really feel like the best team won."

This was the third consecutive tournament victory in a row for ASU. The Sun Devils also won the Pac-10 Championship and the NCAA West Regional Championship.

The 2008 NCAA Individual Champion, Azahara Munoz, paced the Sun Devils throughout the tournament and tied for fourth overall.

This year's individual title was won by Purdue University's Maria Hernandez, who shot a 1-under 71 in the final round to give her a one-stroke victory.

"I don't think I believe it right now," Hernandez told the Associated Press. "It was just kind of surprising really. I knew today that I had to go all out. I had a really rough start, but I've been playing good golf the entire week. I've not been scoring as well as I should. I finished pretty well today, but that putt for birdie on 18 I thought was right there, but it didn't go in. I'm lucky."

Oklahoma State's Pernilla Lindberg was second overall, followed by Duke's Amanda Blumenherst and Munoz, who tied for fourth.