Women's Golf Finishes Tied for Third at Starmount Fall Classic

Josefine Sundh posts season-best third-place finish

Browns Summitt, N.C. - Senior Josefine Sundh recorded her season-best  finish, placing tied for third out of the 81-golfer field to guide Western Carolina to its second-consecutive, third-place finish to open the fall season at the rain-shortened UNC Greensboro Starmount Fall Classic which concluded Tuesday at Bryan Park.

The tournament was moved from the Starmount Forest Country Club to the Bryan Park Golf Course Players Course because of course problems over the last several weeks at the SFCC.

Sundh opened her final round with a bogey on the par-4 first hole, but recovered with a birdie on the second hole to return to even where she remained over the next nine holes. She then posted an Eagle on the par-5, 12th to move to two-under par. The Kumla, Sweden, native finished her final six holes of the tournament at even par, scoring bogey on No. 16 but birdie on No. 17 in recording her fourth career top five finish.

The final-round 70 carded by Sundh matches her second-best career round which she fired as a sophomore at the season-opening Draper Valley Intercollegiate in 2008.

All told, it is the third-straight season that the WCU women's golf team has opened with back-to-back, top-three finishes to open the fall. A year ago, the Catamounts won three-straight team championships to begin the schedule, with the squad posting a second-place and championship in its opening two tournament of 2008-09.

Sundh's countryman, sophomore Malin Jansson, posted consecutive rounds of 75 at the par-72, 6,323-yard course to finish amidst a five-way tie for 14th in the overall standings. A native of Nykvarn, Sweden, Jansson posted bogey on three of her first five holes, scoring birdie on the par-5 No. 4 to stand at two-over with 13 holes to play. She recovered to score par on 12 of her final 13 to finish at three-over, 75.

Junior Rachel Nelson finished tied for 26th overall, matching her career-best, 36-hole score of 153. Consecutive birdies on No. 8 and No. 9 helped Nelson make the turn at even-par on Tuesday. She finished her round with four bogies to shoot four-over, 76.

It is the third time that Nelson has shot 153 in a two-round tournament, matching her season-opening score at the this season's Great Smokies Intercollegiate and same event in 2008-09 as a freshman.

Rounding out WCU's finishers were junior Blaire Minter and senior Tiffany Schisler, both tied for 41st overall after shooting matching 80 and 77 in the tournament that was shortened from 54-to-36 holes after rain cancelled Monday's second round. Minter countered six bogies with one birdie on the front nine, while Schisler had three birdies.

East Carolina trimmed 25 collective strokes off its opening round score of 310 to rally from a first-round tie for sixth to match North Carolina State in the final overall standings with a 36-hole score of 595. The Lady Pirates were crowned team champions by a fifth-card tiebreaker. WCU was tied for third with opening-round, co-leader, Maryland with two-round totals of 603. Penn State rounded out the top five teams, one stroke in arrears at 604.

First-round individual leader, Stetson's Alex Buelow, finished tied atop the leader board with Brittany Marchand from North Carolina State with identical scores of three-under, 141. The two were named co-champions of the event. Sundh finished tied with fellow Southern Conference competitor, Stefanie Kenoyer, were tied for third at one-under, 143, with ECU's Amber Littman and Ellen Ceresko and Emily Ransone - both of Penn State - tied for fifth, six strokes off the pace at 147 to round out the top five finishing positions.

Western Carolina will have two weeks off before returning to action at the Tribe Invitational, hosted by the College of William & Mary at The Hollows Country Club in Richmond, Va., Oct. 15-17. It is the first-time since 1996 that WCU has competed in an event hosted by William & Mary.

 

Kenoyer Claims Third Place Finish, Furman Sixth at UNCG Starmount Fall Classic

Greensboro, N.C. - The Furman (315-295=610) women's golf team carded a final round 295 to climb to a sixth place finish while senior Stefanie Kenoyer fired a one-under 71 to share third place on Tuesday at the UNCG Starmount Fall Classic at the par-72 Bryan Park Players Course.

Kenoyer (72-71=143), a native of Lighthouse Point, Fla., played a bogey-free final round and notched a birdie at the par three No. 3 to share third place with Josefine Sundh of Western Carolina at one-under 143.  The pair finished two shots behind co-champions Alex Buelow of Stetson and Brittany Marchand of North Carolina State.

Furman sophomore Alexa Rancourt birdied three holes on her way to a one-over 73 and freshman Aubrie Street notched a career-best round of 75 to help Furman move from 315 in opening round play to a final round 295.  East Carolina (310-285=595) and North Carolina State (302-293=595) tied for first with the Pirates taking tournament honors on a fifth card tiebreaker.  Western Carolina (305-298=603) and Maryland (302-301=603) tied for third place with Penn State (308-296=604) in fifth and the Paladins in sixth.

The UNCG Fall Classic was shortened to 36 holes after Monday's second round was cancelled due to heavy rains in the Greensboro, N.C., area.

Second round play is scheduled to begin with a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. on Monday with final round action set for a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

6       Furman          315     295     610

T3      Stefanie Kenoyer        72      71      143

T29     Alexa Rancourt  81      73      154

T41     Laura Wearn             81      76      157

T57     Aubrie Street           84      75      159

T61     Liz Wendt               81      80      161

 

East Carolina wins UNCG Starmount Fall Classic, Spartans finish 14th

BROWNS SUMMIT, N.C. - East Carolina won on a fifth-player tiebreaker over North Carolina State to claim the UNCG Starmount Fall Classic team title Tuesday at Bryan Park's Players Course.

Both teams finished at 595 after East Carolina rallied with a final-round 285 to force the tie-breaker. UNCG carded a final round 321 to finish in 14th place with a score of 632. Western Carolina and Maryland finished tied for third at 603.

The tournament was shortened to 36 holes after rain showers washed out play on Monday.

Stetson's Alex Buelow and NC State's Brittany Marchand tied for the individual title at three-under 141. Marchand carded a final round 70, while Buelow shot 71 on Tuesday.

Erica Creed was UNCG's top individual finisher. She shot a 75 on Tuesday to finish tied for 20th place. Courtney Taylor tied for 29th place, shooting her second consecutive 77 on Tuesday.

UNCG returns to action next Monday when it plays at the Windy City Collegiate in Highland Park, Ill.

AGATE

UNCG Starmount Fall Classic

Bryan Park Players Course - Greensboro, NC

Par 72, 6323 yards

TEAM RESULTS

Fin.  Team                             Scores         Total   Par

  T1  East Carolina Univ............   310 285        595     +19

  T1  North Carolina St.............   302 293        595     +19

  T3  Western Carolina U............   305 298        603     +27

  T3  Maryland, U. of...............   302 301        603     +27

   5  Penn State Univ...............   308 296        604     +28

   6  Furman University.............   315 295        610     +34

   7  Mississippi St. U.............   316 298        614     +38

   8  East Tennessee St.............   308 309        617     +41

   9  Stetson University............   310 309        619     +43

  10  N. Car. Wilmington............   311 313        624     +48

  11  Gardner-Webb Univ.............   318 307        625     +49

  12  Miami, U. of..................   313 313        626     +50

  13  Winthrop University...........   320 311        631     +55

  14  UNCG..........................   311 321        632     +56

  15  High Point University.........   343 320        663     +87

 

Mocs Finish 10th at Golfweek Conference Challenge

Emma de Groot is Chattanooga's top finisher tying for 16th

VAIL, Colo. --- The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's golf team shot a season-best 298 (+10) to finish 10th at the Golfweek Conference Challenge on the Fazio Course at Red Sky Golf Club.  The Mocs' 54-hole total of 911 topped Texas A&M by 21 strokes.

Chattanooga made a move early after starting the day in 11th.  The Mocs played their first nine holes around seven-over par to jump past Pepperdine and San Jose State into eighth place leading the Waves by three at the turn, and the Spartans by 11.

While UTC lost just three more shots over the final nine holes, the Waves, the tourney's defending champs, shaved a few from their score to move past the Mocs into ninth.  Pepperdine and Chattanooga tied for the day at 298.

The 10-over par total helped the Mocs surge past San Jose State and spread their lead over Texas A&M.  The two 2010 NCAA finalists were beaten by UTC by 21 and 23 shots, respectively.

"Today was much better," said head coach Colette Murray.  "It took us a little time to overcome the elements with the altitude adjustment.  I'm very pleased with how we responded getting into the top 10, but I am a wee bit disappointed we didn't hold off Pepperdine.

"This should give us some confidence heading into the Mercedes-Benz in a couple of weeks."

Senior Emma de Groot (Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, Australia) led the Mocs tying for 16th overall at 223.  Her final round 74 (+2) was one shot behind fellow senior Christine Wolf (Igls, Austria) at 73 (+1).

Wolf's 73 gave her a total of 225 which tied for 24th.  She had a solid three birdies and 11 pars to go with four bogeys.

Freshman Jordan Britt (Dayton, Tenn.) had her best round as a collegian.  Scoring par or better on 15 holes, Britt had a final round 75 (+3) to shoot 235 and tie for 50th.

Junior Maria Juliana Loza (Bucaramanga, Colombia) shot 76 (+4) for the final counting score.  Loza ended up tied for 35th at 229.  Freshman Yushira Budhram (Johannesburg, South Africa) shot 81 today to wind up tied for 80th at 246.

Virginia, led by medalist Brittany Altomare, claimed the team title by six shots with a 13-over par total of 877.  Arizona was second at 883, while Tulane came in third at 889.  Altomare's four-under par 212 gave her a one-stroke win over Tulane's Janine Fellows at 213 (-3).  UNLV's Therese Koelbaek was third at 214 (-2).

The Mocs are off until October 8-10 when they travel to the Mercedes-Benz Championship.  This year's event returns to Fox Den Country Club in Knoxville, Tenn.

LEADERBOARD

1) Virginia	287-303-287	877 (+13)
2) Arizona	292-296-295	883 (+19)
3) Tulane	287-304-298	889 (+25)
4) UC Davis	293-294-304	891 (+27)
5) Tennessee	304-299-291	894 (+30)
6) UNLV	294-299-303	896 (+32)
7) Denver	296-296-305	897 (+33)
8) Minnesota	298-306-296	900 (+36)
9) Pepperdine	297-308-298	903 (+39)
10) Chattanooga	303-310-298	911 (+47)
11) Texas A&M	307-314-311	932 (+68)
12) San Jose State	302-310-322	934 (+70)
13) Harvard	310-314-316	940 (+76)
14) Missouri State	314-314-317	945 (+81)
T15) Coastal Carolina	322-316-310	948 (+84)
T15) Campbell	317-320-311	948 (+84)
17) Sacramento State	325-319-319	963 (+99)
18) Central Arkansas	329-319-318	966 (+102)
Mocs:
T16) Emma de Groot	73-76-74	223 (+7)
T24) Christine Wolf	74-78-73	225 (+9)
T35) Maria Juliana Loza	77-76-76	229 (+13)
T50) Jordan Britt	80-80-75	235 (+19)
T80) Yushira Budhram	79-86-81	246 (+30)