FRANKLIN, Tenn. — Junior Melissa Eaton moved up 25 spots through the field from 30th to a tied for fifth place Sunday in the final round of the Southeastern Conference Women’s Golf Championships at the Iron Horse Course of the Vanderbilt Legends Club.
Eaton, who finished last year in Tunica, posted an outstanding 4-under round of 68 on a blustery, cooler day in middle Tennessee, to finish for the second consecutive year in a tie for fifth. Eaton, who survived a triple bogey eight on the par 5 finishing hole Saturday when her ball ended up in the cart of SEC official Craig Mattox, had rounds of 76-76-68 for a 54-hole total of 220, four-over par on the 6,217-yard par 72 course.
The South African, one half of the twin combination of sisters with Nicola on the LSU women’s golf team, had one of the best first nine holes seen by an LSU golfer in some time, putting five birdies on the board on the tougher back nine of the course, which LSU teed off of first. Eaton birdied the par-3 16th, the short par 4 17th and then the 18th hole which was her undoing the day before to bring home a 31 over the first nine holes she played.
Eaton came home over the course’s front nine in just one over par to become the third person in this year’s tournament to shoot the four-under score, both of which came in Saturday’s second round.
“Mel was very good for us,” said LSU Coach Karen Bahnsen. “We played some of those tough holes first and we were able to make some putts early in the round.”
In fact, LSU’s whole team was playing like they were trying to get as far up the board as they could as the four counting scores turned for LSU at even par, thanks especially to Eaton’s five under.
But on the front nine holes (LSU’s final nine holes), the shots didn’t come as easily as LSU was 10-over on the counting score. LSU for the second straight day improved its team score by two shots from the day before, this time to a 10-over 298. LSU finished the 54 holes at an even 900 (36 over par) with rounds of 302-300-298.
Although LSU, which was in fifth for a good early portion of the round, remained in seventh when the tournament came to an end, the 900 total was the third best 54-hole total LSU has posted this season.
Defending champion Auburn held off a late charge by Tennessee to win the SEC Championship again. After shooting six-under par on Saturday, the Tigers posted a five-over score of 293 on Sunday and Auburn could only manage an even par 288 to finish one shot short of sending the event in to a playoff for the title for the second straight year.
Auburn’s Maria Martinez won the individual championship, capping off the event with a two-under 70 to finish at five-under par 211 (73-68-70).
“Our scoring was definitely better for the weekend, but we need to work on a few things around the green,” said Bahnsen. “We gave away some shots over the three days that can be corrected, but overall I thought the girls really tried to focus in each shot and not let mistakes carry over to the next hole in their thinking. As was proven again, the scoring in this tournament by the conference teams was really strong.”
Coming in strong for LSU besides Eaton was sophomore Kim Meck, who had her best round of the even on Sunday with a one-over par 73.
LSU will conclude its regular season this Saturday and Sunday at the Ohio State Buckeye Spring Classic.
SEC Women’s Golf Championships
Final Team Results (Par 288-864)
1. Auburn 300-282-293 — 875 +11; 2. Tennessee 301-287-288 — 876 +12; 3. Georgia 301-285-299 — 885 +21; 4. Vanderbilt 303-287-297 — 887 +23; 5. Arkansas 302-297-296 — 897 +33; 6. Florida 308-291-299 — 898 +34; 7. LSU 302-300-298 — 900 +36; 8. South Carolina 310-293-300 — 903 +39; 9. Alabama 307-296-305 — 908 +44; 10. Mississippi State 321-301-302 — 924 +60; 11. Kentucky 315-310-311 — 936 +72; 12. Ole Miss 318-315-307 — 940 +76.
Individual Top 10 (Par 72-216)
1. Maria Martinez, Auburn, 73-68-70 — 211 -5; 2. Marci Turner, Tennessee 73-73-69 — 215 -1; 3. Margaret Shirley, Auburn, 77-69-71 — 217 +1; 4. Jacqui Concolino, Vanderbilt, 74-73-71 — 218 +2; 5. Melissa Eaton, LSU, 76-76-68 — 220 +4; 5. Taylor Leon, Georgia, 75-68-77 — 220 +4; 7. Mallory Hetzel, Georgia, 81-70-70 — 221 +5; 7. Liebelei Lawrence, Vanderbilt, 77-72-72 — 221 +5; 7. Jenna Pearson, S. Carolina, 75-74-72 — 221 +5; 7. Nicole Smith, Tennessee, 78-71-72 — 221 +5; 7. Jenny Suh, Alabama, 76-72-73 — 221 +5.
LSU Scores
T5. Melissa Eaton 76-76-68 — 220 +4
T21. Alexis Rather 72-75-78 — 225 +9
T30. Caroline Martens 72-77-79 — 228 +12
46. Kimberly Meck 82-79-73 — 234 +18
T47. Rebecca Kuhn 83-72-80 — 235 +19