Women's Golf Southern Conference

Harford ties for medalist honors at Lady Puerto Rico Classic

RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico – Sophomore Haylee Harford (-1) tied for individual medalist honors Tuesday and the eighth-ranked Furman women’s golf team finished in a tie for second at the 15th-annual Lady Puerto Rico Classic at the par-72, 6,164-yard Rio Mar Country Club River Course.

Harford birdied No. 1 and No. 12 to score a 76 in the final round for a three-day total of 70-69-76=215, ending up in a five-way tie for first place with Baylor’s Maria Vesga (-1), Naomi Ko (-1) of NC State, Amy Lee (-1) of Baylor and Maryland’s Panitta Yusabai (-1).

Senior Taylor Totland (E) finished just one stroke back of the leaders in sixth place. Totland shot an even 72 on Tuesday, with four birdies on the back nine, including birdies in three of the four holes from No. 15 to No. 18. Junior Alice Chen (+6) came on strong in the final round, posting a team-high six birdies to fire a 69. Chen birdied five holes on the back and recorded consecutive birdies on No. 10 and No. 11 and again on No. 17 and No. 18.

Freshman Natalie Srinivasan (+12) shot a 78 in round three to tie for 47th, and rookie Carly Burkhardt (+20) added an 85 and tied for 69th. Junior Reona Hirai (+8), who played as an individual, tied for 27th after carding a 76 with two birdies on Tuesday.

No. 29 NC State (+13) won the tournament by one stroke after leading the field with a 285 on Tuesday. The Paladins (+14) tied for second with No. 15 Kent State (+14). No. 31 TCU (+19) finished fourth, followed by No. 6 Georgia (+20) in fifth place.

Furman will compete at the Central District Invitational in Port St. Lucie, Fla., Feb. 20-21.