Western Carolina second at Great Smokies Intercollegiate, Allison shares medalist honors

WAYNESVILLE, N.C. – Morehead State carded consecutive rounds of even-par 288 and one-under 287 to win the rain-shortened 14th annual Great Smokies Intercollegiate on Monday at the par-72, 5,932-yard Waynesville Inn, Golf Resort and Spa. Tournament host Western Carolina finished as the runner-up in the team standings, seven strokes in arrears after shooting 582.

With its second-place finish on Monday, WCU has finished in the top two spots in 10 of the 14 Great Smokies Intercollegiate events all-time. Morehead State became the seventh different team to win the tournament, while also marking the third different winner in the past three years.

The top two finishing teams were paced by co-individual medalists, as Morehead State’s Linnea Scholin and WCU freshman Taylor Allison shared the top of the leader board at the end of the day. Scholin posted rounds of 73 and a tournament-low 67, while Allison shot even-par 72 and 68 as both finished at four-under 140. Allison paced the tournament field with 10 birdies on Monday.

Allison is the second-consecutive Catamount freshman to finish in first place as Sofie Kvarnstrom won the event in 2011.

Western Carolina carded a tournament-low round of 286 on Monday’s second 18 holes. The 286 was tied for the fifth-best 18-hole score in event history, matching rounds of the 2005 and ’09 Catamounts as well as the 2009 Elon Phoenix and Ohio Bobcats in 2005.

Following Morehead State and WCU in the team standings, Samford just edged fellow Southern Conference member Elon by two strokes, 584-to-586. Western Kentucky rounded out the top five, 10 strokes behind the Phoenix at 596.

The tournament went the scheduled 36 holes but was shortened from a two-day to a one-day event by tournament officials late Monday afternoon after threatening weather forecasts remained pessimistic. Teams completed their opening 18 holes and went straight into the second round, finishing the final holes just as torrential downpours moved into Western North Carolina.

During Monday morning’s round, teams battled through three substantial rain showers throughout the day. It is the fourth time in tournament history that rain has affected play but the first time the teams played all 36 holes in one day. Rain shortened the event to one round back in 2009 with WCU and Elon sharing team honors and previously in 2004 with WCU also claiming team honors.

Behind Allison’s career-best round of four-under – which included a career-low round of four-under 68 – three other Catamounts recorded career-best rounds. Swedish sophomores Maria Kjelldorff and defending medalist Kvarnstrom finished tied for 13th in the 83-golfer field by shooting two-over 146. Kjelldorff shot rounds of 74 and a career-low 72, while Kvarnstrom carded identical rounds of 73.

Senior Michelle Bello rallied from an opening-round 78, which included a two-stroke penalty, to post her best round as a Catamount at one-over, 73. The senior from Dixon, Calif., finished with a two-round score of 151.

Rounding out WCU’s finishers was freshman Mariah Hopkins, who led the squad in the season-opening Golfweek Program Challenge. In her first Great Smokies Intercollegiate, the Greensboro, N.C., native shot rounds of 77 and a career-low 75 to finish tied for 38th overall at 152.

Despite the gray morning skies and the picturesque fog that hung around the aptly named mountains in Western North Carolina, Monday’s opening round had a bit brighter of an appearance. Most all of the 83 women’s golfers representing 16 different schools were wearing pink shirts, skirts and ribbons in a show of support for breast cancer awareness.

At the tournament dinner on Monday night, jars were placed on each table for donations which will be made in the name of the Great Smokies Intercollegiate to Susan B. Komen for the Cure.

 

Samford finishes third at Great Smokies Intercollegiate

WAYNESVILLE, N.C. – The Samford University women’s golf team turned in its best performance of the young 2012 fall season Monday as the Bulldogs tallied a third-place finish at the weather-shortened 14th Annual Great Smokies Intercollegiate, which was held at the par- 72, 5,932-yard Waynesville Inn,  Golf Resort and Spa.

The 2012 Great Smokies Intercollegiate was also slated to be held Tuesday, but the coaches agreed to play all 36 holes Monday due to impending rain storms.

Samford carded a season-best 36-hole score of 584 (293-291) on Monday and finished just nine strokes behind tournament-champion Morehead State (288-287=575). The Bulldogs’ two-round tally of 584 was 32 strokes better than their performance last week at the 2012 Terrier Intercollegiate.

Senior Kayla Turner and sophomore Emily Stallings both earned top-10 finishes for Samford as they fired identical scores of 1-over-par 145. Turner, the Bulldogs’ native of Clarksville, Tenn., carded the team’s best score of the tournament as she closed out Monday’s play with a stellar final round of 2-under-par 70.

Stallings, who was coming off a 15th-place finish at last week’s Terrier Intercollegiate, continued her brilliant play this fall as she turned in back-to-back rounds of 72 and 73 on Monday. A native of Fayetteville, Ga., Stallings owns a team-best stroke average of 73.8 this season.

Turner and Stallings finished tied for ninth place in the individual standings of the 2012 Great Smokies Intercollegiate.

Samford’s Natalie Mitchell and Anna Heim also earned top-20 finishes Monday, turning in identical scores of 148. Rounding out the Bulldogs’ scoring this week was sophomore Bailey Gray, who posted a 36-hole total of 151 (73-78).

The Samford University women’s golf team will next be in action Oct. 8-9, as the Bulldogs travel to Greenville, N.C., for the 2012 Lady Pirate Intercollegiate to be held at the Greenville Country Club.

 

Elon fourth at Great Smokies Intercollegiate

WAYNESVILLE, N.C. – Elon freshmen Sunna Vidisdottir and Emily Brooks were a combined one-over par to help the Phoenix (294-292=586) claim fourth place in the 36-hole Great Smokies Intercollegiate on Monday.

The tournament was originally scheduled to for 18 holes on both Monday and Tuesday, but a poor weather forecast for Tuesday forced all 36 holes to be played on day one.

Vidisdottir posted an even-par 144 (74-70) to tie for seventh individually in the field of 83 golfers.  Over her 36 holes, the freshman recorded one eagle and seven birdies.

Brooks, also a freshman, finished in a tie for ninth with a 145 (69-76).  She also posted seven birdies on the day.

Sophomore Katie Partridge's 149 (73-76) earned her a tie for 24^th, while senior Martyna Mierzwa shot a 150 (78-72) to tie for 31st.

Rounding out Elon's five was freshman Kathryn Buckingham, who carded a 152 (78-74) to tie for 38th.

Competing as an individual, sophomore Kristi Ingram finished 75th after shooting a 165 (89-76).

Western Carolina's Taylor Allison and Morehead State's Linnea Scholin shared medalist honors with a four-under 140.

Morehead State (288-287=575) bested host Western Carolina (296-286=582) for the team title.  Finishing two strokes ahead of the Phoenix was Samford (293-291=584).  Western Kentucky (299-297=596) completed the top five in the 15-team standings.

The Phoenix will be off until Oct. 1-2 when it competes in the UNCG Starmount Fall Classic in Greensboro, N.C.

 

Appalachian State finishes 11^th at Great Smokies Intercollegiate

WAYNESVILLE, N.C. – Appalachian State University’s women’s golf team fired a 307-302=609 (+33) to place 11th at the Great Smokies Intercollegiate on Monday at Waynesville Inn, Golf Resort and Spa. The tournament was originally slated for two days but was completed in one day due to impending wet weather.

Senior Lauren Smith paced the Mountaineers with a fourth-place finish. She carded a 71-71=142 (-2), including an eagle and 25 pars at the 36-hole event.

Classmate Yue Xu claimed 31st place at 77-73=150 (+6), while a third senior, Rumbidzai Masamvu, carded a 76-78=152 (+8) to tie for 50th.

Mimi Burke placed 73rd with an 83-80=163 (+19) and newcomer KK Brake made her Appalachian debut with an 88-81=169 (+25) to finish 78th at the tournament.

Paced by a first-place finish by Linnea Scholin, Morehead State claimed the team title at 575 (-1), seven strokes ahead of host Western Carolina. WCU’s Taylor Allison also tied for the individual medal with a two-round 140 (-3).

Also, competing from the Southern Conference, Samford placed third at 584 (+8), Elon took home fourth place at 586 (+10) and The Citadel tied for 12th place at 627 (+51).

The Mountaineers return to competition on Oct. 6-7 for the Winthrop Intercollegiate in Rock Hill, S.C.

 

The Citadel ties for 12^th at Great Smokies Intercollegiate

WAYNESVILLE, N.C. – In its second event of the 2012 fall season, The Citadel golf team tied for 12th place at the rain-shorted 14th annual Great Smokies Intercollegiate. The Bulldogs posted a score of 627 (320-307) on Monday, highlighted by Erica Pellegrini's 24^th-place finish at the par-72, 5,932-yard Waynesville Inn, Golf Resort and Spa.

Pellegrini posted rounds of 79 and 70 for a total of 149 in the 36-round Monday play. Teammate Eraina Minor, who fired an opening-round 76 and followed with a second-round 77, finished with a 45^th-place showing and a score of 153.

Freshmen Hollie Salvo, competing in the second tournament of her collegiate career, placed 70th for the ‘Dogs with rounds of 82 and 80. The sophomore combination of Kellie Anderson (83-80=163) and TaKima Butler (84-84=168) completed the Bulldogs’ scorecard.

Morehead State carded consecutive rounds of even-par 288 and one-under par 287 to win the event, while tournament host Western Carolina finished as the runner-up in the team standings, seven strokes back after shooting 582.

The Catamounts’ Taylor Allison shared individual medalist honors with Morehead State's Linnea Scholin at the completion of the tournament. Scholin posted rounds of 73 and a tournament-low 67, while Allison shot even-par 72 and 68 as both finished at four-under, 140.

 

Chattanooga sits fifth at Cardinal Cup

SIMPSONVILLE, Ky. – The Chattanooga Mocs women’s golf team is in fifth after 36 holes Monday in the Cardinal Cup at Cardinal Club Course. UTC shot rounds of 300 and 301.

Junior Marion Duvernay is in 13th at three-over par 147. She opened with a level-par 72 and followed with a 75. She is two strokes ahead of teammate Emily McLennan, who is tied for 15th.

McLennan, a freshman, opened her career with a 73 before a 76 in the afternoon. Junior Jordan Britt is another two strokes back, tied for 26th at 151 (+7). She had the Mocs’ best afternoon effort with a 74 battling through the rain.

Sophomore Mette Kryger is next for UTC at 155. Freshman Isabella Loza is behind her at 161. Sophomore Porsche Campbell began with an even-par 72 and ended up with Britt at 151 playing as an individual.

Host Louisville is in the lead at 15-over par 591. Cincinnati is in second at 596, three shots clear of Missouri and Georgia State tied for third at 599, two strokes in front of UTC.

The Cardinals’ Emily Haas shot twin 69s to take a five-shot cushion at six-under par 138. Taylor Gohn of Missouri is in second at one under (143). Annie Dulman (Rollins) and Maria Palacios (Georgia State) each posted even-par 144s and are tied for third.

Tuesday’s final round is an 8:40 a.m. shotgun start. Chattanooga is matched up with Georgia State and Rollins, beginning on holes four through six. McLennan and Duvernay will start on four, Kryger and Britt on five and Loza on six. Campbell will take the 17th tee first for her final 18.

 

UNCG in ninth place at Cardinal Cup

SIMPSONVILLE, Ky. – The UNCG women’s golf team posted a 3-over par 291 score in round one of the Cardinal Cup before battling torrential rain in round two that saw the entire field post higher scores, with the Spartans recording a 317 in round two for a 36-hole total of 608 to sit ninth overall.

The team leader after one round was one over par (Illinois State), but after the heavy rainfall, the top team score after 36 holes was host Louisville at 14-over par 590 (294-296). First-round leader Illinois State followed up the 289 with a 317 in the soggy second round to drop to eighth overall.

Sophomore Fanny Cnops leads the Spartans as she sits in a tie for sixth overall on the leaderboard with a 2-over 146. Cnops posted identical scores of 1-over 73 in each round to sit seven shots out of the individual lead held by Louisville’s Emily Haas at 6-under 138 (69-69).

Senior Courtney Taylor is tied for 26th overall after 36 holes with a 7-over 151 (74-77). Sophomore Berglind Bjornsdottir posted a 154 (72-82) to sit in a tie for 42nd place overall.

Freshman Samantha Buchanan opened the day with a career-best even-par 72 in round one before succumbing to the weather in round two to finish with a 161. Classmate Lily Crane finished the day with a 168 (83-85).

The Spartans will conclude play at the Cardinal Cup on Tuesday with the third round set for an 8:40 a.m. shotgun start.