USC cruises to NCAA Women's title

May 24, 2013 - 11:57 PM Athens, GA (Sports Network) - The University of Southern California women's golf team cruised to an easy 21-stroke win at the NCAA Women's Golf Championship on Friday.

Southern California won the title for the third time. The Trojans went 12- under par in the second round to take a commanding lead and they cruised home from there. Southern California ended at 19-under-par 1,133.

Annie Park led the way for USC as she closed with a 1-under 71. Park finished 72 holes at 10-under-par 278 to win the individual title by six strokes.

Doris Chen (70), Rachel Morris (73) and Sophia Popov (74) were the other three scores used in the Trojans final round of even-par 288. Kyung Kim had a 77 on Friday, but her score didn't count.

Popov and Morris were on the team last year that finished one stroke behind Alabama.

Duke posted a 4-over 292 in the final round to take second place at plus-2.

Purdue took third at 21-over, while UCLA was fourth at plus-22. Alabama, last year's champions, struggled to a 28-over 316 on Friday to end alone in seventh at 37-over par.

Duke's Lindy Duncan managed a 2-under 70 on Friday to take second on the individual leaderboard at minus-4. Paula Reto, from Purdue, shot 72 in the final round and took third at 2-under 286.

Duke's Celine Boutier (74) and UCLA's Erynne Lee (73) were the final players in red figures at 1-under 287.