COLUMBUS, Ohio — The LSU Lady Tigers concluded their first appearance in the NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championship since 2001 with a 23rd place finish Friday at the Scarlet Course at The Ohio State University.
LSU posted a 20-over par round of 308 and finished the 72-hole tournament at 80-over par 1,232. It was LSU’s eighth appearance in the NCAA championships in the 25 years that the NCAA has sponsored a women’s team championship tournament in golf.
The round was highlighted by a wild start by Alexis Rather, who was sick with a stomach virus during Wednesday’s second round and who was pulled from Thursday’s round after 14 holes because of dehydration. Friday morning, an Ohio State athletic doctor took Rather to the basketball arena training area to give her an IV some 30 minutes prior to her 7 a.m. CDT tee time.
Despite the best efforts of the doctor to administer the IV and drive the sophomore back to the course, a drive of several blocks, Rather was two minutes late for her tee time. She was allowed to play, but her par four on the opening hole became a six after a two-shot penalty was assessed by the USGA/NCAA Rules Officials. Rather played well and posted a 78 (76 without the penalty).
Melissa Eaton had the best round of the day for the Lady Tigers with a three-over 75, while Rebecca Kuhn had a 77 and Caroline Martens and Alexis Kuhn also had a 78.
Eaton had the best 72-hole tournament score of 16-over par 304, finishing in a tie for 53rd in the individual competition. Eaton played in every round this year for LSU and she becomes the fifth LSU women’s golfer to play 37 rounds in a season.
“As much as we were disappointed in the way we finished, this team has gained tremendous experience by being here this week,” said LSU Coach Karen Bahnsen. “All five players will be back next year and this will definitely help them in the future and make them better players.”
Duke successfully defended its title, coasting home in the rain-delayed (56 minutes) final round with a 291 to finish the 72 holes at 15-over par 1,167. The Blue Devils were 10 strokes clear of Southern California in second at 1,177 with Pepperdine rounding out the top three at 1,188. Georgia and Florida finished as the best SEC teams in the 24-team field in a tie for sixth with Washington at 50-over par.
Duke’s ability to overcome what for them was an off first round is what Bahnsen realizes her team needs to understand about the only four-round tournament in women’s college golf.
“They are all back next and they all talk about being here next year,” Bahnsen said. “They are hungry to return after experiencing the NCAAs. They learned a tremendous amount. They didn’t know what a marathon this was. I could tell them all I wanted, but they had to experience it first hand.”
The extra round cost Eileen Vargas of Pepperdine the individual title after leading through the first three rounds, she fell to fourth in the final round after shooting a 77 to finish at three-over par 291. The winner was Dewi Schreefel of Southern California with a final round of 69 to finish at two-under 286, two shots ahead of Jenny Lee of Duke at even par 288.
LSU will have the possible advantage next year in advancing to the NCAA Championships as Baton Rouge’s University Club will host the NCAA East Regionals in May 2007.
NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN’S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL TEAM RESULTS (PAR 288-1,152)
1. Duke 297-292-287-291 — 1,167 +15; 2. Southern California 291-300-298-288 — 1,177 +25; 3. Pepperdine 301-295-298-293 — 1,187 +35; 4. Arizona State 292-294-310-299 — 1,195 +43; 5. California 305-301-295-299 — 1,200 +48; 6. Georgia 306-305-291-300 — 1,202 +50; 6. Washington 305-304-293-300 — 1,202 +50; 6. Florida 293-307-302-300 — 1,202 +50; 9. Purdue 301-295-300-307 — 1,203 +51; 10. Arkansas 299-313-298-295 — 1,205 +53; 11. UCLA 301-306-303-297 — 1,207 +55; 12. Auburn 301-298-305-304 — 1,208 +56; 13. Tennessee 303-290-315-301 — 1,209 +57; 13. Stanford 307-301-295-306 — 1,209 +57; 15. Wake Forest 297-312-301-301 — 1,211 +59; 16. Florida State 305-305-301-302 — 1,213 +61; 17. Arizona 296-319-297-304 — 1,216 +64; 18. Oklahoma State 311-299-308-299 — 1,217; 19. Texas A&M 302-306-316-295 — 1,219 +67; 20. Nebraska 311-305-306-299 — 1,221; 21. Kent State 312-307-304-306 — 1,229 +77; 22. UNLV 313-301-304-312 — 1,230; 23. LSU 298-307-319-308 — +1,232; 24. Alabama 307-317-310-314 — 1,248 +96.
INDIVIDUAL TOP 10 (Par 72-288)
1. Dewi Schreefel, Southern California 73-74-70-69 — 286 -2; 2. Jenny Lee, Duke 73-72-72-71 — 288 E; 3. Da Sol Chung, UNLC, 76-72-70-72 — 290 +2; 4. Eileen Vargas, Pepperdine 68-71-75-77 — 291 +3; 4. Sandra Gal, Texas 74-72-71-74 — 291 +3; 6. Amie Cochran, UCLA, 78-71-71-72 — 292 +4; 6. Azahara Munoz, Arizona State, 73-74-76-69 — 292 +4; 8. Paige McKenzie, Washington, 76-73-72-72 — 293 +5; 9. Amanda Blumenherst, Duke, 76-74-70-74 — 294 +6; 9. Stacy Lewis, Arkansas, 76-76-76-66 — 294 +6; 9. Leah Wigger, Virginia, 76-74-72-72 — 294 +6
LSU Scores
T53. Melissa Eaton 75-78-76-73 — 302 +14
T64. Kim Meck 75-75-78-78 — 306 +16
T66. Rebecca Kuhn 73-78-81-77 — 307 +19
T98. Caroline Martens 75-78-84-78 — 315 +27
WD. Alexis Rather 78-81-WD-78 — WD