COLUMBUS, Ohio — The LSU women’s golf team moved up two spots in the final round Sunday of the 1999 Lady Buckeye Fall Invitational to finish fourth in the 12-team field.
The 12th-ranked Tigers finished the final day with the best round of the field, a 20-over 308 and finished 54-holes at 67-over par 931 on the Ohio State University’s Scarlet Course, the site of the 2000 NCAA East Regional Tournament.
Purdue rallied to win the event with a 919, 55-over par after a 310 on the final day. Alabama, the 36-hole leader, ballooned to a 321 and finished at 924, three shots ahead of third-place Ohio State (927).
Shreveport sophomore Meredith Duncan recorded her career best collegiate finish in the event and the second top-10 of her career after posting a 2-over par 74 over the final 18 holes. Duncan finished at 12-over 228 in a tie for eighth. It was Duncan’s low 54-hole total at LSU.
The 74 equaled the low round of the day in the field of 66 golfers as scores soared upward in the cool conditions. Only 27 golfers broke 80 on the final day.
Duncan’s score finished just four shots out of the tournament medalist honor, won by Brittany Straza who finished at 8-over par 224, shooting a 7-over 79 on the final day.
Rebecca Barrow, the LSU freshman from New Zealand, rebounded from a tough first round to finish 74-76 to end up in a tie for 15th place at 16-over par 232. Senior Lisette Lee of Kenner also was a big contributor on the final day with a 4-over 76 to finish at 19-over 235, in a tie for 22nd place.
Katy Wilkinson, the junior from South Bend, finished in a tie for 32nd at 22-over 238 (78-78-82) and Lindy Hitdlebaugh, the sophomore from New Orleans, was in 48th alone at 31-over 247 (81-81-85).
“I’m very pleased with what we were able to do on the final day,” said LSU Coach Karen Bahnsen. “The conditions were very tough and this golf course was playing very long. I feel we gathered some very valuable information for when we come back here in May for the Regional. Now we have about 10 days to work on a few things and get ready for our next event.”
That next event is the prestigious Mercedes-Benz Tournament in Knoxville, Tenn., Oct. 15-17.
Team Results
Par 288-864
1. Purdue 306-303-310 — 919 +55; 2. Alabama 305-298-321 — 924 +60; 3. Ohio State 310-307-310 — 927 +63; 4. LSU 313-310-308 — 931 +67; 5. Michigan State 303-316-313 — 932 +68; 6. Furman 310-314-310 — 934 +70; 7. Wake Forest 306-315-315 — 936 +72; 8. Florida 304-326-321 951 +87; 9. Iowa 316-326-312 — 954 +90; 10. Kentucky 315-326-326 967 +103; 11. Memphis 322-323-324 — 969 +105; 12. Florida State 325-325-340 — 990 +126.
Individual Top 5
Par 72-216
1. Brittany Straza, Florida, 70-75-79 +8; 2. Sandra Hellsvik, Memphis, 73-76-76 — 225 +9; Paula Carter, Alabama, 75-73-77 — 225 +9; 4. Jennifer Perri, Furman, 75-76-75 — 226 +10; Emily Bastel, Michigan State, 73-76-77 — 226 +10; Sarah Johnston, Alabama, 76-70-80 — 226 +10
LSU Scores
t8. Meredith Duncan 77-77-74 — 228 +12
t15. Rebecca Barrow 82-74-76 — 232 +16
t22. Lisette Lee 77-82-76 — 235 +19
t32. Katy Wilkinson 78-78-82 — 238 +22
48. Lindy Hitdlebaugh 81-81-85 — 247 +31