GAINESVILLE, Fla. — LSU’s strong golfing duo of South Bend, Ind., senior Katy Harris and Shreveport junior Meredith Duncan posted top 10 individual finishes as the 13th-ranked Tigers took home fifth place Sunday in the SunTrust Lady Gator Invitational at the University of Florida Golf Course.
Harris fired a second straight even par round of 72 to finish at 3-over 219 (75-72-72) to finish in a tie for sixth. Duncan finished with a 1-over par 73 to finish at 4-over 220 (75-72-73) and in a group tied for eighth place. Georgia’s Summer Sirmons won the individual competition in a three-player playoff with a 3-under 213.
Auburn won the tournament wire-to-wire, finishing with a 2-under 286 to finish at 4-over 868 for the 54-hole tournament. The Tigers won by 10 shots over Georgia at 878. Tennessee finished third at 885, with Vanderbilt at 897 one shot better than LSU at 898.
The Tigers came home equaling the first round score of 17-over 305 on the final day to finish at 34-over par for the first tournament of the spring season.
“We couldn’t get everyone going on the final day,” said LSU Coach Karen Bahnsen. “Katy and Meredith had good starts and we all had some good moments that we want to combine together for the next event.”
Lesley McClurg, the LSU senior from Redmond, Wash. who posted a 3-under 69 on Saturday, finished with a 79 on Sunday and a 9-over par 225 in a tie for 23rd place.
The Tigers will have a little over two weeks off before getting back to action next month in the Lady Gamecock Invitational at the University Club of South Carolina. LSU will host its own tournament, the LSU/Cleveland Golf Classic at the LSU University Club in early April.
SunTrust Lady Gator Invitational
Gainesville, Fla.
54-Hole Team Results (Par 288-864)
1. Auburn 292-290-286 – 868 +4; 2. Georgia 293-292-293 – 878 +14; 3. Tennessee 297-297-291 – 885 +21; 4. Vanderbilt 305-300-292 – 897 +33; 5. LSU 305-288-305 – 898 +34; 6. Alabama 294-307-306 – 907 +43; 7. South Florida 311-297-302 – 910 +46; 8. Central Florida 302-308-302 – 912 +48; 9. Florida State 304-296-313 – 913 +49; 10. South Carolina 309-304-302 – 915 +51; 11. Florida 311-307-305 – 923 +59; 12. North Carolina 308-305-313 – 926 +62; 13. Kentucky 325-297-310 – 932 +68; 14. Miss. State 314-304-317 – 935 +71; 15. Ole Miss 312-301-323 – 936 +72; 16. Wake Forest 318-311-309 – 938 +74; 17. Arkansas 310-315-320 – 945 +81.
Individual Top 5
1. (playoff winner) Summer Sirmons, Georgia, 73-69-71 – 213 -3; 2. Young-A Yang, Tennessee, 76-69-68 – 213 -3; 2. Celeste Troche, Auburn, 72-73-68 – 213 -3; 4. Anne Hutton, Auburn, 73-76-69 – 218 +2; 4. Reilley Rankin, Georgia, 70-74-74 – 218 +2.
LSU Scores
T6. Katy Harris 75-72-72 – 219 +3
T8. Meredith Duncan 75-72-73 – 220 +4
T23. Lesley McClurg 77-69-79 – 225 +9
T54. Isabel Dornellas 78-75-81 – 234 +18
T69. Lindy Hitdlebaugh 78-79-81 – 238 +22