Kan's season ends at NCAA Central Regional

   The college golf season for Aurora Kan, who won the 2010 PIAA championship as a senior at Chichester, came to an end a little short of the ultimate goal this weekend.

   Kan and the rest of her Purdue teammates reached the NCAA Tournament a year ago and she finished in a tie for 15^th to help the Boilermakers take third in the team standings.

   This weekend Kan, a junior, carried the Purdue banner alone at the NCAA Central Regional Tournament as the Boilermakers did not earn a team invite to any of the three regional tournaments.

Kan put together rounds of 75, 79 and 78 at the Karsten Creek Golf Club on the campus of Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla. for a 16-over 232 total that left her in a tie for 60^th.

   The only two individual berths to the NCAA Tournament went to Kent State’s Wad Phaewchimplee, who captured individual honors at the Central Regional with a sparkling 7-under 209 total, and UNLV’s Dana Finkelstein, who shared second place with Alabama’s Emma Talley at 2-under 214.

   UCLA dominated the team chase with rounds of 299, 289 and 287 for an 875 total that left the Bruins 17 shots clear of runnerup Alabama (295-297-300—892). The other teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament May 20 to 23 at the Tulsa Country Club in Tulsa, Okla. were Mississippi St., California, Big Ten champion Ohio St., Kansas, Arizona and Florida, which defeated Central Regional host Oklahoma St. in a playoff for the final team berth.

   UCLA’s crosstown rival USC will defend its national title in Tulsa after claiming a one-shot victory over host Washington in the West Regional Tournament this weekend in tough weather conditions at the Tumble Creek Club at Suncadia Resort in Cle Elum, Wash.