Then, Southern Cal surge to 13-shot lead at Pac-12 tourney

   It looks like Southern California, No. 2 in the latest Golfstat rankings, means business at the Pac-12 Championships at Ruby Hill Golf Club in Pleasanton, Calif.

   If the opening-round of 10-under 278 wasn’t impressive enough, the Trojans backed it up with a scorching 13-under 275 performance in Tuesday’s second round for a 23-under 553 total that gives them a commanding 13-shot lead over UCLA, ranked fourth, and Arizona, ranked 11^th.

   Gabriella Then, a junior from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., led the onslaught with a spectacular 7-under 65 over the 6,458-yard, par-72 Ruby Hills layout that vaulted her to the top of the leaderboard in the individual chase at 9-under 135. Then had eight birdies against a lone bogey in her career-best round.

   Colorado’s Alexis Keating, a senior from Elma, Wash., had a pretty strong 6-under 66 of her own Tuesday and trails Then by only a shot in the individual standings at 8-under 136.

   But the show being put on by Southern Cal, as it seeks its first Pac-12 title since 2013, is the big story at Ruby Hills.

   Robynn Ree, a freshman from Redondo Beach, Calif., had a 3-under 69 and Tiffany Chan, a junior from Hong Kong, matched par with a 72 and are two of the four players tied for fourth at 5-under 139. Karen Chung, a junior from Livingston, N.J., matched Ree’s 3-under 69 and is tied for eighth at 4-under 140.

   Rounding out the counters for the Trojans is senior Kyung Kim, who has been a standout at Southern Cal since arriving there four years ago from Chandler, Ariz. Kim matched par with a 72 and is tied for 18^th at 1-under 143.

   Arizona’s Haley Moore, a freshman from Escondido, Calif., had grabbed the opening-round lead with a 66, but fell back with an even-par 72 Tuesday and is alone in third place in the individual standings at 6-under 138.

   She helped the Wildcats fire an impressive 8-under 280 total, but it was only enough to get a share of second at 10-under 566.

   UCLA came into the second round trailing its cross-town rival USC by just four shots, carded a 4-under 284 and, like Arizona, found itself 13 shots behind the Trojans.

   The Bruins got solid showings from Lilian Vu, a freshman from Fountain Valley, Calif. who posted a 3-under 69 and is in the group tied for fourth at 5-under 139, and Bronte Law, a junior from England ranked No. 1 in Division I by Golfstat who carded her second straight 70 and is tied for eighth at 4-under 140.

   Arizona State, ranked 10^th, had a 4-under 284 and is in fourth place at 7-under 569. The Sun Devils were led by Linnea Strom, a freshman from Sweden who fired a 4-under 68 and rounds out the foursome tied for fourth at 5-under 139.

   Colorado, ranked 40^th, also had a solid 4-under 284 behind Keating’s 66 and is alone in fifth place at 6-under 570.