Furman finishes second at Lady Paladin Invitational
GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Furman women’s golf team carded a final-round 294 on Tuesday to finish second at the 44th Lady Paladin Invitational at the par-72, 6,313-yard Furman University Golf Course.
Junior Taylor Totland and sophomore Alice Chen each posted a 73 in the final round. Totland (E) birdied three holes to finish fourth, just three strokes back of Clemson freshman Alice Hewson (-3), who won individual medalist honors. Chen (+2) also scored three birdies, including back-to-back birdies on No. 13 and 14, to tie for fifth.
Freshman Haylee Harford (+5) was even on the front and notched three birdies to tie for 10th after carding a final-round 74, and senior Valentina Romero (+10) tied for 35th after posting a 76 on Tuesday. Freshman Annika Bovender (+15) shot a 74 to tie for 50th in her first collegiate tournament.
Sophomore Jacqueline Bendrick (+6), playing as an individual, scored three straight birdies on Nos. 2, 3, and 4, to tie for 10th with a 73 in the final round, while fellow sophomore Reona Hirai, also playing as an individual, posted a team-best seven birdies, including five consecutive birdies from holes two through six, to lead the team with a final-round 71 and tie for 35th. Furman individual Macy McRaney (+17) tied for 57th after birdieing three holes on Tuesday to card a 79.
Missouri (+7) fired a tournament-best 290 on Tuesday to win the team title behind the strong play of Jess Meek (-1) and Michelle Butler (-1), who tied for second among individuals. Furman (+15) placed second, followed by New Mexico (+19) in third, while Clemson (+21) and Wake Forest (+21) tied for fourth.
The teams at this year’s tournament are again participating in Birdies for Water to benefit Golf Fore Africa, a 501 (c)(3) founded in 2006 by Furman golf alumna and LPGA Hall of Famer Betsy King. To date GFA has raised over 2.5 million dollars to fund projects in Rwanda, Lesotho, Kenya, Mali, Niger, and Zambia. Currently Golf Fore Africa is raising two million dollars to bring clean water, improved sanitation, and hygiene education to over 100 villages in rural Zambia.
Each team at the tournament has been invited to raise money by securing flat donations and pledges for each birdie their team members record during the tournament, with a goal of raising $30,000. Last year teams at the Lady Paladin Invitational raised almost $30,000, with the Furman team raising over $10,000, eclipsing the tournament goal of $15,000, the amount needed to bring clean water, improved sanitation, and hygiene education to one village.
To sponsor the Furman women’s golf team in this endeavor, go to http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/furman-paladins/lady-paladin-invitationals-birdies-for-water-event or email Furman coach Kelley Hester at Kelley.Hester@Furman.edu.
Furman will compete at the Yale Intercollegiate in New Haven, Conn., Oct. 9-11.
ETSU finishes ninth at Lady Paladin Invitational
GREENVILLE, S.C. – ETSU women’s golf finished their final day at the Lady Paladin on Tuesday by carding a 308. The team competed with a difficult field that consisted of Missouri, Furman, New Mexico, Clemson, Wake Forest and North Carolina.
The Bucs finished in ninth place out of a 17-team tournament at the Furman University Golf Course. Missouri took home the top price of the tournament as they shot seven over par in the three-day tournament. ETSU finished in the middle of the pack in ninth with an overall score of 914.
Hee Ying Loy finished the best on the team by shooting 10-over-par and finished tied for 35th place. Rachel Pollock was just four strokes away from her teammate as Pollock finished tied for 47th.
Vivienne Chin made a strong push on her last day as she moved up to several places individually. She shot a 74 in the third round, which was two strokes over par.
Wofford finishes 14th at Lady Paladin Invitational
GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Wofford women’s golf team competed in its first tournament of the fall season, finishing 14th in the Lady Paladin Invitational on Tuesday. The three-round tournament ran Sunday-Tuesday and was hosted by Furman at the Furman University Golf Course.
Wofford tallied a tournament total of 70-over-par 934. The team’s best round came on Monday, when it carded a 19-over 307.
Seventeen teams and 96 players made up the field. Wofford’s best individual finisher was senior Maegan Higgins, who carded her best three-round score since the fall of her freshman season. Higgins fired back-to-back rounds of 2-over 74 on Sunday and Monday before closing out with a 5-over 77 on Tuesday for a tournament total of 9-over-par 225. Higgins finished tied for 32nd.
Other Terriers competing in the fall opener included sophomore Nicole Chin (+16), junior Katy Funk (+22), senior Emiley Pagrabs (+28) and sophomore Lela Oakley (+30).
The Terriers return to action next Monday, Sept. 28, at the Jacksonville Classic. The tournament is hosted by Jacksonville University at Marsh Landing Country Club in Ponte Verda, Florida.
Samford finishes 16th at Lady Paladin Invite
GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Samford women's golf team wrapped up play in the Lady Paladin Invitational with the final round at the Furman University Golf Course on Tuesday.
Freshman Anna Buchanan led the Bulldogs, finishing tied for 10th out of 96 competitors. Buchanan shot a three-round total of 5-over-par 221 (72-71-78).
Freshman Emily Uhland was next for Samford, carding a total score of 235 (75-77-83), finishing 67th in the event. Junior Haley Harrington posted a 246 (82-82-82, T-88th), while sophomore Kate Collom fired a 248 (84-84-80, 92nd) and fellow sophomore Madeline Davis carded a total score of 250 (81-83-86, T-93rd).
Samford will return to action on Sept. 27, when the Bulldogs open play in the Chris Bannister Classic, hosted by Jacksonville State University.
Chattanooga finishes 12th at Mercedes-Benz Championships
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Chattanooga Mocs women’s golf team ended the Mercedes-Benz Championships in 12th at Cherokee Country Club Tuesday. The Mocs shot 319 for a 908 total, which was six ahead of Kentucky and 13 clear of South Dakota State.
Freshman Monica San Juan had the low score with a 78. Emily McLennan and Cris Perez added 80s, while Sarah Dolmovich shot 81. Megan Woods posted the drop score with an 83.
McLennan had the Mocs’ best total, shooting 223 to tie for 34th overall. Perez was three behind at 226, and Dolmovich and Woods matched each other at 232. San Juan finished at 235.
Kent State claimed the team title, shooting 847. That topped host Tennessee in second by nine and third-place Iowa State by 10. Taylor Kim (Kent) and India Clyburn (NC State) shared medalist honors at -6.
Chattanooga is off until the Charleston Southern University Invitational on Oct. 5-6. The event is played at Rivertowne Country Club in Mt. Pleasant, S.C.