DU’s Daffinrud Qualifies for D1 Women’s Golf Championship

Norway Native Paces Pioneers With Impressive Final Year

Chris Duthie

Denver University standout Tonje Daffinrud has earned a rare individual trip to the NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championship, scheduled May 20-23 at Tulsa (OK) Country Club.

A native of Norway, Daffinrud played to a 12^th-place finish (7-over 223) in the NCAA West Regional, played last week at Suncadia Resort in Cle Elum, WA. The event was captured by University of Southern California. Arizona State’s Noemi Jimenez won the individual title, finishing at 3-under 213.

“Yeees!” tweeted Daffinrud after learning she would be playing at the national championship, one of only two individual players in the history of DU women’s golf (Kimberly Kim in 2010) ever to compete in the event. “I’m so happy and proud, this has been my goal for four years!”

Daffinrud is captain and lone senior of the Pioneer golf team, which qualified for the West Regional tournament after carding an impressive 71-stroke win in the Summit League Tournament, played April 21-23 in Keller, Tex. She was low-scoring medalist at that event, shooting 219 over three rounds and pacing her team to an 887 total score, a new league record and the Pioneers’ 11^th straight conference title.

“We’re so very proud of Tonje for qualifying for the national championship,” said Pioneer Head Coach Lindsay Kuhle. “She’s worked extremely hard on her game, especially the last two years. She’s the hardest worker I’ve seen in a long time… For her to make it, it’s so well deserved.”

Daffinrud, a former Norwegian National Champion, has built an impressive playing record at Denver. Her individual highlights include six top-five tournament finishes this season; lowest single-season scoring average in Pioneer history (72.44); highest finish percentage in Pioneer history (90.5%); and most par or better rounds in Pioneer history (13 of 25).

Daffinrud is also noted for defeating top ranked Alison Lee of UCLA in match play at the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic last March in Georgia.

Quick Fact

DU Coach Kuhle will accompany Daffinrud to the D-1 Championship, her first appearance as head coach since taking over the team in February 2013 and winning WAC Coach of the Year honors that same year. Kuhle helped coach DU to three straight NCAA National Championship team appearances (2007; ’08, ’09).

RELATED LINKS

First Tee of Denver Goes Above and Beyond

DU Women Seek 11^th Straight Conference Title

DU Men Seek Summit Conference Crown

Chris Duthie is a contributor to Colorado AvidGolfer, the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it. It publishes eight issues annually and proudly delivers daily content via www.coloradoavidgolfer.com.