Cnops, Spartans enjoy record-breaking wins at Palmetto Intercollegiate
KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C.-UNCG shot 292 during the final round of the Palmetto Intercollegiate to win its first tournament in three years and freshman Fanny Cnops shattered another school record en route to a four-stroke victory, Tuesday at Oak Point. This was the final tournament of the fall for the Spartans.
The Spartans finished tournament play at 875 (293-290-292) edging second-place Maryland (882) by seven strokes in the 18-team field. For the second straight tournament UNCG set a school record for lowest 54-hole team score, breaking the previous mark by 15 strokes. Two weeks ago the Spartans shot 890 at the Lady Pirate Intercollegiate.
"We finally broke through," said head coach Emily Marron. "We've been close to winning the last few weeks and we finally got one. I can't say enough good things about this team. We've gotten a little bit better every week and it showed this weekend. What a great way to end the fall season."
The team victory is the first for the Spartans since winning at the Starmount Classic in October of 2008.
Cnops burned up Oak Point on Tuesday, tying a school-record by shooting 5-under par 67 and finishing tournament play with a UNCG 54-hole record score of 7-under 209 (70-72-67). She is the first Spartan to earn individual medalist honors at any tournament in eight years.
Cnops started her day by finishing the second round, which was suspended due to darkness on Sunday. Starting on No. 4, Cnops opened her final round with back-to-back birdies. After a bogey on the par 4 sixth hole, Cnops played the final 15 holes in 4-under to earn not only her first career victory, but her fourth straight top 10 finish.
"Fanny is a special talent," said Marron. "I'm running out of things to say about her. What's been amazing is how the rest of the team has rallied around her and elevated their play. She's been a pleasure to coach and watch this fall, and I can't wait to see what's ahead."
But it wasn't just all Cnops for the Spartans. Ana Lucia Martinez earned her second top 10 effort of the season by finishing in a three-way tie for third at 1-over 217 (72-70-75). Martinez shot a career-best 70 in the second round and her third-place finish is the best of her career.
Begona Sarabia joined Cnops and Martinez in the top 20, finishing tied for 13th at 223 (78-72-73).
Courtney Taylor tied for 35th at 228 (75-76-77), while Berglind Bjornsdottir tied for 53rd at 234 (76-77-81).
1 UNCG 293-290-292=875
1 Fanny Cnops 70-72-67=209
T3 Ana Lucia Martinez 72-70-75=217
T14 Begona Sarabia 78-72-73=223
T35 Courtney Taylor 75-76-77=228
T53 Berglind Bjornsdotir 76-77-81=234
Cougars Tie for Sixth at Palmetto Intercollegiate
KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. - Led by senior Leigh Whittaker with a final round 1-under 71 the College of Charleston women's golf team finished in a tie for sixth-place at the Palmetto Intercollegiate at the Oak Point Golf Club on Kiawah Island.
The Cougars shot rounds of 302-297-308=907 (+43) with five in their lineup and three golfers that played as individuals. UNCG won the tournament with a total 875 (+11) and had the individual medalist, Fanny Cnops.
Whittaker played consistently all tournament carding rounds of 74-72-71=217 (+1) and finished in a tie for third-place.
"Leigh had a fantastic tournament," CofC Head Coach Jamie Futrell said. "She showed leadership as our number one player and was very consistent."
The Cougars are back in action Nov. 7-8 as they travel to Austin, Texas for the Challenge at Onion Creek.
T6 College of Charleston 302 297 308 907
T3 Leigh Whittaker (1) 74 72 71 217
T40 Kathy Boehm (2) 74 75 80 229
T47 Vanessa Koechli (3) 79 75 78 232
T53 Ainhoa Nogales (5) 80 75 79 234
67 Anna Martin (4) 75 83 80 238
1 1 1 UNCG 293 290 292 875 +11
3 3 2 Maryland 297 297 288 882 +18
7 T6 3 East Tennessee St. 304 299 281 884 +20
2 2 4 Campbell 295 295 303 893 +29
T9 5 5 Morehead State 306 294 302 902 +38
8 9 T6 Kansas State 305 302 300 907 +43
5 4 T6 College of Charleston 302 297 308 907 +43
T11 10 8 Western Carolina 307 302 300 909 +45
T14 15 T9 Kansas 312 313 287 912 +48
4 T6 T9 Illinois State 299 304 309 912 +48
6 T6 T9 Elon 303 300 309 912 +48
T9 11 12 Charleston Southern 306 308 300 914 +50
13 14 13 William & Mary 311 312 307 930 +66
T14 13 14 South Dakota State 312 309 316 937 +73
T11 12 15 Jacksonville St. 307 312 319 938 +74
17 17 16 Bucknell 319 315 316 950 +86
16 16 17 Citadel, The 317 315 324 956 +92
18 18 18 Richmond 322 326 317 965 +101
WCU Women's Golf Finishes Eighth at Palmetto Intercollegiate
Blaire Minter paces squad with eighth-place finish
Kiawah Island, N.C. - Western Carolina posted a final round 300 as a team to advance two positions in the final standings to finish eighth with a two-day total of 909 at the Palmetto Intercollegiate which concluded Monday afternoon at the par-72, 5,907-yard Oak Point Golf Club. WCU senior Blaire Minter fired a final round one-over 73 to rally seven positions to finish eighth with a score of 221 to lead the Catamounts in their final event of the fall portion of their season.
The eighth-place showing for Minter is her second top-10 this fall and the 13th of her career. The Marietta, Ga., native recorded three birdies over her final round to rally from a double-bogey on her second hole of the day. After making the turn at three-over, Minter shot two-under on the front nine to advance in the final standings and pace the squad for the second time this season.
Opening her third round in a tie for 23rd, freshman Sofie Kvarnstrom held ground after shooting a three-over, 75, on Monday afternoon to finish amidst a four-way tie for 23rd. Kvarnstrom began the final 18 holes on the back nine, countering three bogies with a pair of birdies to turn at plus-one. A birdie on the par-5 No. 1 dropped her back to even for the day, but three bogies out of her final five holes put her at two-over on the front, three-over for the round and 225 for the tournament - the best 54-hole score in her young collegiate career.
Rounding out WCU's scorers on Monday were senior Rachel Nelson, who trimmed eight strokes off her second round to shoot 74 and finish tied for 47th. Freshman Maria Kjelldorff finished tied for 53rd with a total of 234 while junior Michelle Bello as tied for 68th overall at 239. Nelson matched Kvarnstrom with three birdies in her final round while Bello played her first nine holes at two-over par before finishing with five holes of bogey-or-worse, mixed with her lone birdie of the round on the par-5 fourth to shoot 80. Bello's three-round 239 is her best of the season for WCU.
Kjelldorff had seven bogies against a lone birdie for 78 on Monday afternoon.
Playing unattached as an individual, senior Christina Amoriello finished 95th overall with a three-round score of 268, finishing with consecutive rounds of 89. It was the career-best, 54-hole score for the Coral Springs, Fla., native.
Paced by individual medalist Fanny Cnops, Southern Conference-foe UNC Greensboro led from start to finish claiming team championship honors with an 11-over, 875, finishing with a seven-stroke edge over runner-up Maryland (882). East Tennessee State was two strokes in arrears of the Terrapins in third at 884, with Campbell (893) and Morehead State (902) rounding out the top five teams.
Cnops shot 209 including a final round 67 to win by four strokes over runner-up Gabriella Wahl from ETSU who shot 213 including a final round three-under, 69.
Western Carolina returns to the South Carolina Lowcountry and Kiawah Island in February to open the spring portion of its 2011-12 schedule. The Catamounts will take part in the three-day, 54-hole Kiawah Island Classic from February 26 through 28 at the Oak Point and Cougar Point Courses. Minter led the team to a fourth-place overall with an individual fourth-place showing amidst the 33-team field - one of the largest in NCAA women's golf competition - a year ago at the event.
Pellegrini leads The Citadel at Palmetto Intercollegiate
Kiawah Island, S.C. - Competing at the Oak Point Golf Course on Kiawah Island, The Citadel Golf team shot a final round of 324 to finish 17th at the Palmetto Intercollegiate. Earlier in the day, the Bulldogs completed second round action, after play was suspended Sunday evening due to darkness, with a score of 315. The team finished with a combined total score of 956 (+92), led by Erica Pellegrini who finished the 54-hole tournament tied for 32nd place following a 227 (+11).
Senior Alanna-Jean Keith tied for 79th carding rounds of 80, 80 and 84 (244, +28). Teammate Bree Baumgartner tied for 82nd with scores of 86, 79 and 80 (245, +29). Meanwhile, freshman Kellie Anderson (250, +34), who shot an opening round 77, finished with rounds of 89 and 84 to complete the tournament. Classmate Devin Lowe rounded out all Bulldogs competitors with a 261 (+45), following rounds of 98, 81 and 82.
Southern Conference rival UNC Greensboro (875, +11) maintained its 11-stroke second round lead to capture top honors over Maryland (882, +18) and East Tennessee State (884, +20). The Spartans' Fanny Cnops grabbed the individual crown with a score of 209 (+7), four shots better than Maryland's Gabriella Wahl (213, -3).
Davis, Ingram Lead Elon to Tie for Ninth at Palmetto Intercollegiate
KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. -- Diana Davis and Kristi Ingram both posted three-round scores of 226 to tie for 27th individually as the Elon women's golf team ended the Palmetto Intercollegiate in a three-way tie for ninth place with a tournament score of 912 (303-300-309).
Davis fired a final round 73 on her way to a 226. She posted rounds of 77 and 76 prior to her final 18 holes. This was just the second fall event for Davis. Ingram reached her 227 with rounds of 71, 73 and 82.
Virginia Mayer shot her lowest round of the tournament on Monday, posting a two-over 74. Coupled with rounds of 77 and 78, Mayer shot a 229 to tie for 40th in the field of 96 individuals.
In a tie for 45th was Martyna Mierzwa who shot a 231 (78-73-80) over her three rounds of competition. Finally, Lauren Lebak carded a 248 (79-83-86) to finish 85th.
UNCG's Fanny Cnops claimed the individual title after posting a seven-under 209 (70-72-67). She defeated East Tennessee State's Gabriella Wahl by four strokes.
UNCG also won the team crown with a mark of 875 (293-290-292). The Spartans defeated Maryland by seven strokes as the Terps notched an 882 (297-297-288). The rest of the top five included East Tennessee State (304-299-281--884), Campbell (295-295-303--893) and Morehead State (306-294-302--902).
Host and SoCon rival College of Charleston tied with Kansas State for sixth with a tally of 907 while league member Western Carolina was eighth with a 909.
The Phoenix tied with Illinois State and Kansas for ninth. Elon finished ahead of teams such as William & Mary (13th; 311-312-307--930), The Citadel (17th; 317-315-324--956) and Richmond (18th; 322-326-317--965) in the 18-team event.
Elon will play in one final fall tournament when the Phoenix travels to Greenville, S.C. to participate in the Lady Paladin Invitational beginning on Friday.