Western Carolina wins Low Country Intercollegiate
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – Sophomore Maria Kjelldorff shared individual medalist honors, while freshman Mariah Hopkins finished in third place overall as Western Carolina claimed its third Low Country Intercollegiate team title on Monday at the par-72, 5,822-yard Moss Creek Golf Club.
WCU shot 328 on the damp South Course to edge second-place Princeton by four strokes, scoring its first team tournament victory of the season.
Kjelldorff overcame a 5-over par 41 on the front nine to shoot 1-over on the back, finishing with a 6-over par 78 to finish atop the individual leader board tied with Sarah Knapp of Dartmouth, who shot 39-39 for a matching 78. The two finished just ahead of Hopkins, who shot 79 (39-40) in recording her career-best finish.
Kjelldorff’s previous career-best finish was a 13th-place performance earlier this season at the Great Smokies Intercollegiate held at the Waynesville Inn, Golf Resort & Spa. The Saltsjobaden, Sweden, product now joins freshman teammate Taylor Allison as one of two Catamounts with first-place finishes this season.
A third Catamount, senior Michelle Bello, recorded her career-best finish, placing amidst a seven-way tie for 20th overall at 84, with freshmen Taylor Allison (t-38th, 87) and Fatima Gonzalez-Carriles (t-68th, 94) rounding out WCU’s scoring side in the 89-golfer field.
WCU finished ahead of runner-up Princeton (332) with Dartmouth finishing third at 335 followed by tournament host Wofford (338) in fourth and DePauw University in fifth at 339. Fellow Southern Conference member Appalachian State was tied for seventh at 341 with The Citadel finishing 15th in the 16-team field.
The Catamounts finished 10 strokes better than the nearest SoCon competitor on the day.
This year’s Low Country Intercollegiate was shortened to just 18 holes on Sunday after heavy rain storms left the course unplayable. It marks the fourth tournament affected by weather for the Catamount women this season.
In addition to winning Monday’s event, the Catamount women took the team honors in both 2009 and 2010 in the first two seasons of the tournament. Serving as a co-host in 2009, WCU won by six strokes over co-host Wofford before edging James Madison in the 2010 edition of the event. This season marks the first time WCU has participated in the tournament in two seasons.
WCU's women's golf team returns to action this Thursday as it teams with the Catamount men's squad against archrival Appalachian State for the University Cup. It is the third straight season for the co-ed, head-to-head competition held at the Mimosa Hills Country Club in Morganton, N.C. WCU won the first-ever event in 2011, 3.5-to-2.5, with the Mountaineers winning a season ago, 6-1.
Wofford finishes fourth at Low Country Intercollegiate
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – Despite extremely windy and difficult conditions, the Wofford women’s golf team finished fourth in the Low Country Intercollegiate at the Moss Creek South golf course Monday afternoon.
The tournament was cut to only one round after inclement weather forced the first round to be canceled Sunday. The Terriers posted a 338 to finish fourth out of 16 participating teams. Western Carolina won the event with a 328, Princeton posted a 332 to finish second and Dartmouth claimed third with a 335.
Wofford was led by Lauren Dunbar and Maegan Higgins, who both shot 82 and finished tied for eighth. Shelby Winters posted an 86, Anne Marie Covar fired an 88 and Alex Hendricks shot an 89.
The Terriers will return to the course April 1-2 when they travel to Morganton, N.C., to play in the Mimosa Hills Intercollegiate.
Appalachian State ties for seventh at Low Country Intercollegiate
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – After being rained out for the opening round of the Low Country Intercollegiate, Appalachian State finished tied for seventh in the lone and final round on Monday at Moss Creek Plantation.
The Mountaineers carded a 341 (+53), matching Western Kentucky for seventh place out of a 16-team field. Southern Conference foe Western Carolina took the top spot, firing a 328 (+40), four shots better than runner-up Princeton.
Sophomore Haley Zagoria paced Appalachian State for the first time this season, scoring an 81 (+9) as she tied for fourth place for the tournament.
Seniors Yue Xu and Lauren Smith followed the underclassman with an 84 (+12) and 86 (+16), respectively. Mimi Burke and Rumbidzai Masamvu rounded out the Mountaineer lineup with a 90 (+18) and a 91 (+19), respectively.
Playing as an individual, freshman Lily Yatawara finished tied for 46th for the tournament with an 89 (+17).
Appalachian will return to action when they host Western Carolina for the University Cup at Mimosa Hills Country Club on Thursday.
The Citadel finishes 15th at Low Country Intercollegiate
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – Battling through high winds and soggy conditions, The Citadel golf team finished 15th in the Low Country Intercollegiate, held at the Moss Creek South golf course Monday afternoon.
The tournament was cut to only one round after inclement weather forced the first round to be canceled Sunday.
The Bulldogs fired a 371 (+83) to finish 15 out of 16 participating teams. Southern Conference rival Western Carolina won the event with a 328 (+40), Princeton (332, +44) finished second and Dartmouth (335, +47) laid claim to third place.
The Citadel was led by Eraina Manor (89, +17), who tied for 46th, and TaKima Butler (92, +20), who finished in 66th.
Teammates Kellie Anderson (94, +22), Amelia Goodwin (96, +24) and Hollie Salvo (111, +39) rounded out the scorecard.
The Dogs now head to Boone, N.C., to compete in the Mimosa Hills Intercollegiate beginning on April 1.
Samford fifth at John Kirk Panther Intercollegiate
STOCKBRIDGE, Ga. – The Samford University women’s golf team opened the 20th Annual John Kirk/Panther Intercollegiate with a 36-hole score of 646 (328-318) on Monday as the Bulldogs finished the first day of competition in fifth place out of 14 teams at Eagle’s Landing Country Club.
The 54-hole event will resume Tuesday with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. (CDT).
Old Dominion carded a 36-hole score of 621 (318-303) on Monday to close out the day in first place. The Monarchs sit eight strokes ahead of second-place Kent State (311-318=629) and nine strokes ahead of third-place Georgia State (322-308=630).
In fourth place, just 15 strokes ahead of the Bulldogs, James Madison fired a consistent tally of 631 (316-315).
Samford improved by 10 strokes in the second round of competition and was paced by sophomore Bailey Gray. Gray carded a 36-hole score of 159 on Monday and moved into a tie for 13th place in the individual standings. The two-day, 14-team tournament consists of 76 competitors.
The Bulldogs’ Anna Heim finished the opening day tied for 22nd place with a two-round tally of 161 (80-81). She was followed closely by sophomore teammate Emily Stallings, who rallied for a 36-hole score of 162 (84-78).
Rounding out Samford’s scoring Monday were juniors Natalie Mitchell (82-82=164) and Alex Jasper (85-83=168).
Chattanooga 11th at Briar’s Creek Invitational
JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. – The Chattanooga Mocs women’s golf team ended 18 holes in 11th on a blustery day at the Briar’s Creek Invitational. UTC’s five battled through the tough windy conditions to shoot 319 and was plus-24 through 12 or so holes before round two was suspended due to darkness.
Isabella Loza was tied for ninth after 18 holes at 76 (+4). She is tied for 23rd currently at plus-10 with six holes to go in round two. Agathe Sauzon was second to Loza in the early round with a 79.
Emily McLennan, Mette Kryger and Jordan Britt each tallied 82s. McLennan had the best turnaround on her second round, standing at 4-over through 14 holes, tied for 42nd at 14-over par.
Coastal Carolina had the early lead at 305, two ahead of UCF in second. The Chanticleers ended the suspended 18 tied for first with No. 23 Notre Dame and East Carolina at 33-over par. UCF is one behind at plus-34.
Brittany Henderson (Coastal Carolina) led through 18 at 1-under 71. She and Rosie Davies (Indiana) are tied for the lead at 2-over, waiting to resume in the morning. Davies has six holes remaining, while Henderson has nine to play.
Chattanooga returns to the course at 8:15 a.m. The final round will start upon completion of the suspended second 18.
College of Charleston tied for 13th at Briar’s Creek Invitational
JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. – The first day of the inaugural Briar’s Creek Invitational saw the 18-team tournament field battle the elements and mid-50 degree temperatures through 32 holes on Monday at The Golf Club at Briar’s Creek.
Second-round play was suspended at 7:15 p.m. (ET) with about four to six holes remaining and will continue Tuesday beginning at 8:15 a.m. (ET). The final round of play will follow thereafter.
Players battled course conditions on Monday with winds from 25-30 miles an hour and gusts up to 40 miles an hour.
The Cougars stand in a two-way tie for 13th with a two-round score of 523 (+54) through 30 holes played, while Coastal Carolina, No. 23-ranked Notre Dame and No. 45-ranked East Carolina are tied for first at +33.
Individually, senior Vanessa Koechli is in a four-way tie for 13th at 8-over-par. She bounced back from two double-bogeys in the first round and is now even through 12 holes in the second round.
Indiana’s Rosie Davies and Coastal Carolina’s Brittany Henderson lead the pack at 2-over-par.
Six top-50 teams comprise the inaugural tournament field including No. 40 UCF, No. 45 Wisconsin, No. 27 Penn State and No. 35 Campbell.
Furman in 16th place at Briar’s Creek Invitational
JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. – The Furman women’s golf team was tied for 16th place when second-round play was suspended due to darkness on Monday evening at the Briar’s Creek Invitational at the par-72, 6,088-yard Golf Club at Briar’s Creek.
Fighting weather conditions that included winds at 25-30 miles an hour gusting upwards of 40 miles an hour, the Paladins posted a first-round 328 to hold 16th place. Furman was 19-over par with all golfers having made the turn when play was suspended at 7:15 p.m.
Senior Laura Wearn, who completed 12 holes during second-round play, is just six strokes behind the leaders and tied for 13th place at 8-over. After an opening-round 77, the Charlotte, N.C., native was 3-over through 12 holes.
Coastal Carolina, East Carolina and Notre Dame are tied for the lead at 33-over par with UCF (+34) in fourth and Campbell (+36) in the fifth place. The Chanticleers’ Brittany Henderson carded a first-round 71 to grab the lead and was tied with Indiana’s Rosie Davies at 2-over when darkness set in.
Second round play will resume at 8:15 a.m. on Tuesday with the final round set to begin immediately following the completion of round two.