BATON ROUGE — New Zealand sophomore Tina Howard led the ninth-ranked LSU women’s golf team on a coronation walk up the 18th fairway as the champions of the 2000 LSU/Cleveland Golf Classic Sunday at the University Club.
LSU won the team title in runaway fashion for the fifth time in the 19 years of hosting a spring women’s college tournament and Howard led a one-two-five finish for the Lady Tigers as she won her first individual collegiate honor.
The Lady Tigers won their 26th team title in its 21-year history, and the first since the 1998 LSU-Fairwood Invitational. Howard becomes the 10th different golfer in the history of the program to have won an individual title and she joins Lisette Lee as winners of individual titles this season for LSU. The double wins marks the first time since 1995 that LSU has won both the team and indivdiual title in their home tournament.
LSU led by 21 strokes entering the final round and walked home, posting a 16-over par 304, again the best of the day. The Tigers finished 54 holes at 54-over par 918, 31 strokes better than South Florida, who moved into second at the end of the round with a plus-85 total of 949. Mississippi State finished six more strokes back in third at 955 +91.
Individually, Howard entered the final round paired with and tied with Kelly Martin of South Florida. The USF player got the early advantage when she holed out from about 170 yards out on the par-4 second for the only eagle of the tournament by any player. But Howard gradually worked back even and then to the lead, holding a one shot advantage through 12 holes and two shots through 15.
But when Howard birdied the par-5 17th and Martin took a double-bogey seven, the 18th became academic. Howard posted a one-over 73 for a 54-hole total of nine-over 225 (77-75-73).
Shreveport sophomore Meredith Duncan put together her best finish as a collegiate, joining a group tied for second place at 15-over par 231 with Marci Kornegay of Ole Miss and Kelly Martin of South Florida. Duncan had rounds of 76-78-77. Duncan has posted top 10s in all four spring events and six of the eight this year.
Gretna sophomore Lindy Hitdlebaugh of LSU, also had her best finish ever, posting a fifth-place finish at 16-over 232 (74-79-79), while junior Katy Wilkinson of South Bend, Ind., made it four Tigers in the top 10 with a six-place final posting, with rounds of 82-78-75 for a 19-over 235.
“It was a wonderful weekend,” said LSU Coach Karen Bahnsen. “We couldn’t be more pleased with the University Club facility and the hospitality they have shown. But most important, I couldn’t be any more excited over what the girls did this weekend. This really sets us up perfectly for the SEC Championships.”
In the four fall tournaments, LSU has a win, two seconds and a third and a record of 47-4-0.
The Tigers will go to the SEC Championships in two weeks, being hosted by the Lady Razorbacks in Fayetteville, Ark.
LSU/Cleveland Golf Classic
The University Club — Baton Rouge, La.
Final 54-hole team results (Par 288-864)
1. LSU 304-310-304 — 918 +54
2. South Florida 308-328-313 — 949 +85
3. Mississippi St. 314-321-320 — 955 +91
4. Arkansas 310-327-319 — 956 +92
5. Ole Miss 318-324-316 — 958 +94
6. NC Wilmington 318-327-321 — 966 +102
6. Tulane 312-325-329 — 966 +102
8. Memphis 324-328-321 — 973 +109
8. Southern Methodist 310-340-323 — 973 +109
10. Arkansas-LR 322-334-318 — 974 +110
11. Alabama 313-335-327 — 975 +111
12. North Texas 321-333-322 — 976 +112
Final Top 25, 54-hole, indivdiual results (Par 72-216)
1. Tina Howard, LSU 77-75-73 — 225 +9
2. Marci Kornegay, Ole Miss 75-80-76 — 231 +15
2. Meredith Duncan, LSU 76-78-77 — 231 +15
2. Kelly martin, South Florida 72-80-79 — 231 +15
5. Lindy Hitdlebaugh, LSU 74-79-79 — 232 +16
6. Anna Gertsson, Miss. State 79-76-80 — 235 +19
6. Katy Wilkinson, LSU 82-78-75 — 235 +19
6. Pam Buff, Tulane 79-75-81 — 235 +19
9. Johanna Danielsson, Arkansas 78-79-79 — 236 +20
10. Robyn Rinaldo, Ole Miss 81-77-79 — 237 +21
10. Linda Johnson, NC Wilmington 81-78-78 — 237 +21
10. Ashley Mitchell, SMU 76-82-79 — 237 +21
13. Sarah Johnston, Alabama 78-83-77 — 238 +22
14. Teresa Brown, Ole Miss 77-81-81 — 239 +23
15. Heather McMunn, NC Wilmington 75-82-83 — 240 +24
15. Marianne Ruud, Memphis 80-80-80 — 240 +24
15. Kristy Kortuem, Arkansas 77-83-80 — 240 +24
18. Angie Connell, South Florida 80-80-81 — 241 +25
18. Nina Reis, North Texas 79-81-81 — 241 +25
18. Lisette Lee, LSU 77-80-84 — 241 +25
18. Maria Jose Hurtado, UALR 80-83-78 — 241 +25
18. Adrienne Mucci, Arkansas 78-83-80 — 241 +25
23. Kelly Hanwell, Arkansas 80-82-80 — 242 +26
23. Lina Thoren, Miss. State 80-86-76 — 242 +26
23. Kelly Lagedrost, S. Florida 80-84-78 — 242 +26
23. Yunuen Sanchez, NC Wilmington 82-82-78 — 242 +26
23. Pia Josefsson, Miss. State 78-81-83 — 242 +26
LSU Scores
1. Tina Howard 77-75-73 — 225 +9
t2. Meredith Duncan 76-78-77 — 231 +15
5. Lindy Hitdlebaugh 74-79-79 — 232 +16
t6. Katy Wilkinson 82-78-75 — 235 +19
t18. Lisette Lee 77-80-84 — 241 +24
61. Rebecca Barrow 80-91-85 — 256 +40
66. Erin Sarver 85-92-84 — 261 +45
67. Missy Ballew 87-90-91 — 268 +52