14 CALIFORNIA GOLF NEWS • JUNE 2010 FILE PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES TOUR Round-Up 71--215, and Tiffany Joh of San Diego and UCLA, who wound up at 71-71- 73--215. Moreno claimed sole possession of the lead by sinking a 25-foot birdie putt on the sixth hole in the final round, but LaCrosse jumped ahead with 15-foot birdies on the seventh and eighth holes while playing two groups ahead. “After the turn, I knew I was play- ing well,” said LaCrosse, who was the 2007 and 2009 Big East women’s player of the year while playing for Louisville. “I tried not to protect any- thing, but I wasn’t as aggressive as I was on the front. I just wish I could have kept that momentum going.” LaCrosse made bogeys on the 11th and 12th holes while Moreno was carding birdies on the ninth and 11th to regain control, and she then fin- ished off her victory by with three consecutive pars after making a bogey at No. 15. Moreno saved par by sinking a four-foot putt on the 16th hole and made it look easy with two routine pars at the end before receiving a champagne shower from Felibert, her former USC teammate, and other friends on the circuit. “I’d be lying if I said I haven’t had second thoughts about this,” said Moreno, who played part-time last year while finishing work on her eco- nomics degree at USC. “But today, I can say now I know that I want to do this.” All it took was remembering those college lessons. Grube’s First! Rob Grube earned his first professional victory at the Riviera Nayarit Classic in Mexico. Jose de Jesus Rodriguez of Mexico shot 66-65-72-66--269 and tied for third with Randall Hutchinson of Traverse City, Michigan, and Michigan State, who came in at 69-62-69-69--269. Andy Walker of Phoenix and Pepperdine was fifth at 69-63-69- 69--270, and Brock Mackenzie of Yakima, Wash., and the University of Washington tied for sixth at 66-68- 71-66--271. Lee kept the pressure on Grube down the stretch by making birdies on three of the last five holes, tying for the lead by holing a 10-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole but giving it back when his five-footer for par on the sure I’ll remember this one for a long time.” Grube, who helped Stanford to the 2007 NCAA Championship by finish- ing third in the finals, wound up with a score of 64-66-68-68--266, 22-under par, and collected the winner’s check of $20,000. Lee, from Torrance and UCLA, fin- ished at 66-67-65-69--267. “I had a lot of chances for birdie but just didn’t make anything,” said the 22-year-old who was born in Brazil. “I felt a little more pressure than usual, but I’ll learn from it. I played very well all week, and I know my time will come.” R ob Grube broke through for his first professional victory, mak- ing Lucas Lee wait a while lon- ger. Grube holed a 25-foot birdie putt on the final hole to claim a one-stroke vic- tory over Lee, who finished second for the third time in nine months, in the Canadian PGA Tour’s Riviera Nayarit Classic presented by Corona Lite at Litibu Golf Club in Nayarit, Mexico. “This feels great,” said the 25-year- old Grube, a 2008 Stanford gradu- ate from Hinsdale, Illinois, who also attended Robert Louis Stevenson High in Pebble Beach. “They say the first one is always special, so I am penultimate hole lipped out. After Lee’s 30-foot eagle chip on the final hole finished a foot short, Grube rammed in the winner. “You can’t take anything for grant- ed,” said Grube, whose best previ- ous finish on the Canadian Tour was second in the Costa Rica Classic last December. “This game will teach you that anything you have done in the past means nothing when it comes to the future. But winning at any level gives you confidence and momentum and teaches you how to manage your emotions when you are in that situa- tion.” The Stanford grad obviously learned those lessons well. CGN
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