SAMFORD WOMEN'S GOLF EARNS THIRD-PLACE FINISH AT 2012 SAMFORD INTERCOLLEGIATE
--- The Bulldogs finish just two strokes out of first place at the talent-laden 10-team event ---
ONEONTA, Ala. --- In its final tune-up before this weekend's all-important Southern Conference Championship, the Samford University women's golf team turned in a solid third-place finish Tuesday at the 2012 Samford Intercollegiate held at Limestone Springs Golf Course.
Samford carded a total team score of 306 Tuesday, just one stroke behind its previous performances of 305 which it recorded in both the first and second rounds. The Bulldogs finished the two-day tournament with a final tally of 916 (305-305-306), a shot ahead of fourth-place Florida Southern and just two strokes behind first-place Troy (307-306-301=914).
In one of the most hotly-contested Samford Intercollegiates in history, only four strokes separated first place through fourth place Tuesday. Troy, who entered the final round of competition in fifth place, charged back from 12 strokes down to win the championship title of the two-day event with a final score of 914 (307-306-301).
Middle Tennessee finished one stroke behind Troy in second place at 915 (298-305-312), while Samford concluded the tournament just two strokes behind in third place. Florida Southern claimed the fourth-place position Tuesday at 917 (298-303-316), while Louisiana-Monroe rounded out the top five with a 36-hole mark of 922 (303-307-312).
Newberry College's Maria Luz Besio claimed the Individual Medalist honors of this week's talent-laden tournament, while Samford's Kayla Turner finished second and Troy's Haley Lawrence earned third-place accolades.
Besio turned in a stellar two-day total of 3-over-par 219 (74-72-73) to claim the championship title of the 2012 Samford Intercollegiate, while Samford's Turner finished second with a 54-hole tally of 221 (73-73-75). Lawrence of Troy earned third place with a three-round score of 222 (74-76-72).
Throughout this week's tournament, the Bulldogs' Turner and Natalie Mitchell both competed as individuals, therefore their scores were not included in Samford's final team tally. As it turned out, Turner and Mitchell registered the team's best two scores of the Samford Intercollegiate.
Turner, the Bulldogs' talented native of Clarksville, Tenn., finished second in the tournament, while Mitchell placed fourth overall with a three-round mark of 223 (71-72-80). Mitchell, Samford's up-and-coming sophomore from Gernmantown, Tenn., logged the team's best round of the competition with an opening-round 71 on Monday.
The Bulldogs' true freshman Bailey Gray paced Samford's scoring squad with a stellar 54-hole mark of 226 (76-73-77). Gray, a highly-touted newcomer from Trussville, earned a tie for sixth place in the individual standings of the 54-hole competition.
Following Gray in the team scoring Tuesday were both Anna Heim and Sarah Butts, whom finished tied for 11th place at 229. Heim turned in rounds of 73, 79 and 77 at the Samford Intercollegiate, while Butts turned in frames of 77, 78 and 74.
Rounding out the Bulldogs' tournament performances on Tuesday were true freshman Emily Stallings (79-76-78=233) and sophomore Alex Jasper (79-78-81=238).
The Samford University women's golf team will next be in action Sunday as the Bulldogs head to Hilton Head, S.C., to begin competition in the all-important 2012 Southern Conference Championship to be held at the prestigious Moss Creek Golf Club. The three-day event is scheduled to start Sunday and conclude Tuesday.
Chattanooga Ends Up Tied for Fifth with Michigan
Marion Duvernay gets second top 10 of the year tying for ninth at +5
MELBOURNE, Fla. --- The Chattanooga Mocs women's golf team ended the Knights & Pirates Invite tied for fifth with Michigan at Suntree Country Club Tuesday. UTC shot 299 for a 54-hole total of 895.
Mette Kryger (Nivaa, Denmark) had the low round of the day for the Mocs with a two-over par 74. Kryger had two birdies and 12 pars on her card. Marion Duvernay (Publier, France), Maria Juliana Loza (Bucaramanga, Colombia) and Sophie Weilguni (Langenlois, Austria) each added 75s (+3).
Duvernay notched her second top 10 of the season tying for ninth at 221 (+5). The 221 ties for her career-best 54-hole total. Loza tied for 15th two shots behind her teammate at 223.
Kryger just missed the top 20 tying for 21st at 225. Jordan Britt (Chattanooga, Tenn.) was three behind Kryger at 228, while Weilguni ended up at 237.
UCF (877) captured the inaugural title coming from four shots back to beat Texas Tech (878) by a single stroke. Wisconsin was third at 881 followed by Purdue at 888.
The Red Raiders' Deborah DeVilla won medalist honors at three-under par 213. Paula Reto (Purdue) was second at 215 (-1) with the trio of Kimberly Dinh (Wisconsin), Katie Mitchell (UCF) and Carolin Pinegger (UCF) tying for third at two over.
Chattanooga heads to Hilton Head, S.C., next week to defend its Southern Conference Championship. The tourney returns to Moss Creek Golf Club where the Mocs have won back-to-back crowns. Live scoring can be accessed on GoMocs.com women's golf schedule page. Play begins Sunday, April 15, and runs through Tuesday the 17th.
Knights & Pirates Invite
April 9-10 • Suntree Country Club • Melbourne, Fla.
1) UCF 293-292-292 877 (+13)
2) Texas Tech 287-294-297 878 (+14)
3) Wisconsin 289-302-290 881 (+17)
4) Purdue 305-295-288 888 (+24)
5) Chattanooga 298-298-299 895 (+31)
tie) Michigan 298-299-298 895 (+31)
7) Illinois 298-309-297 904 (+40)
8) USF 307-302-298 907 (+43)
9) FIU 303-302-303 908 (+44)
10) East Carolina 296-312-302 910 (+46)
11) James Madison 300-316-300 916 (+52)
12) Georgia State 300-311-308 919 (+55)
13) Furman 301-318-306 925 (+61)
14) Boston College 309-308-309 926 (+62)
15) Kansas 317-316-323 956 (+92)
MOCS:
T9) Marion Duvernay 76-70-75 221 (+5)
T15) Maria Juliana Loza 72-76-75 223 (+7)
T21) Mette Kryger 74-77-74 225 (+9)
T36) Jordan Britt 76-75-77 228 (+12)
T65) Sophie Weilguni 80-82-75 237 (+21)
Wearn Cards 72 In Final Round At Knights & Pirates Invitational
Melbourne, Fla. - Junior Laura Wearn fired an even-par 72 on Tuesday to finish in 21st place and help Furman climb to a 13th place finish in the Knight & Pirates Invitational at the par-72 Suntree Country Club's Classic Course in Melbourne, Fla.
After a bogey on her first hole, No. 13, Wearn (+9) notched birdies at No. 15, No. 3 and No. 9 to shoot even par on both sides and finish the 54-hole tournament at nine-over par. Alexa Rancourt (+11) used a final round 75 to earn a share of 32nd place.
Co-host UCF (+13) rallied to claim the tournament title by one stroke ahead of second place Texas Tech (+14) and four strokes ahead of third place Wisconsin (+17).
Deborah DeVilla (-3) of Texas Tech carded a final round 74 to earn individual medalist honors.
Full results and statistics from Tuesday's action is available at www.golfstatresults.com.
Furman returns to action April 15-17, at the Southern Conference Women's Golf Championship at Moss Creek Golf Course in Hilton Head Island, S.C.
Furman Results
13 Furman 301 318 306 925
T21 Laura Wearn 74 79 72 225
T32 Alexa Rancourt 73 79 75 227
T51 Liz Wendt 78 79 76 233
T69 Daffodil Sanchez 76 81 83 240
85 Inga Gunnarsdottir 81 86 84 251