NASHVILLE — The LSU women’s golf team fired a nine-over 297 on the final day of the Mason Rudolph Championships here Sunday and ended up in seventh place, 20-shots behind rallying winner Duke.
The Tigers finished the 54-holes with a 29-over 893 after three good rounds (296-300-297). No. 2 Duke rallied from 10th after a first round 301 to shoot 283 and 289 on Sunday to finish at nine-over 873. Top-ranked UCLA, the leader after the first two rounds, posted a 297, to finish one shot back at 10-over 874. Georgia, the defending champions, finished third at 12-over 876.
The Lady Tigers, ranked 10th in the NGCA poll, counted four scores in the 70s on the final day, topped by the even par round of Melissa Eaton. Vicky Meyer had a 74, Brooke Shelton 75 and Rebecca Kuhn 76. Meyer finished the best for the 54 holes in 13th place at three-over 219 (73-72-74). Shelton finished in a tie for 25th at 223 (76-72-75).
“We had three pretty good rounds,” said LSU Coach Karen Bahnsen. “We didn’t put as strongly as we could have throughout the weekend, but overall it was a good weekend against a very strong field.”
Jackie Beers of Georgia was the winner of the individual competition with a four-under 212 (75-69-68), three shots better than Susie Mathews of UCLA (71-72-72 — 215, one under).
The Lady Tigers have little time to relax going back on the road this coming weekend for the prestigious Mercedes-Benz Women’s Championship in Knoxville starting on Friday.
Mason Rudolph Championships
Team results (Par 288-864)
1. Duke 301-283-289 — 873 +9; 2. UCLA 289-288-297 — 874 +10; 3. Georgia 292-289-295 — 876 +12; 4. Missouri 300-291-291 — 882 +18; 5. North Carolina State 299-304-288 — 891 +27; 6. Texas 291-298-303 — 892 +28; 7. LSU 296-300-297 — 893 +29; 8. Tulane 301-295-301 — 897 +33; 8. Florida 304-298-295 — 897 +33; 10. Wake Forest 303-293-304 — 900 +36; 10. Vanderbilt 303-301-296 — 900 +36; 12. Furman 298-300-304 — 902 +38; 12. Arizona 295-305-302 — 902 +38; 14. Virginia 299-298-308 — 905 +41; 15. Oklahoma 305-299-305 — 909 +43; 16. SMU 305-301-304 — 910 +46; 17. South Carolina 312-310-302 — 924 +60; 17. North Carolina 320-305-299 — 924 +60.
Individual Top 5
1. Jackie Beers, Georgia, 75-69-68 — 212 -4; 2. Susie Mathews, UCLA, 71-72-72 — 215 -1; 3. Ashley Hoagland, Wake Forest, 75-68-73 — 216 E; Alison Walshe, Tulane, 70-70-76 — 216 E; Denise Knaebel, Missouri, 77-72-67 — 216 E; Leah Wigger, Virginia, 74-69-73 — 216 E; Charlotte Mayorkas, UCLA, 71-71-74 — 216 E.
LSU Scores
T13. Vicky Meyer 73-72-74 — 219 +3
T25. Brooke Shelton 76-72-75 — 223 +7
T33. Melissa Eaton 72-81-72 — 225 +9
T38. Rebecca Kuhn 75-75-76 — 226 +10
T83. Kimberly Meek 76-83-80 — 239 +23