CHARLESTON, S.C. – The LSU women’s golf team set a single round record to rally to win the team title and sophomore Austin Ernst came from a shot down to win the individual title as well, posting her own record score as the Cougar Classic ended here Tuesday at the Yeaman Hall Course.
The win was 33rd for LSU head coach Karen Bahnsen and the third for Ernst, who is tied for the fourth most victories in an LSU career (3) with Ashley Winn (1995-98) and Meredith Duncan (1999-02).
Adding to the victory march for the Lady Tigers was a fine performance by Baton Rouge senior Tessa Teachman, who fired her second under par round of the event to finish in a tie for third.
The No. 4 ranked Lady Tigers posted an 11-under par score of 277 in the final round, topping by one shot the school record for a count-four team score set twice last fall at 10-under 278. That allowed LSU to come from third place and four shots down to win going away by five shots over North Carolina. LSU finished at 16-under for the 54-holes (280-291-277) and the 848 aggregate score ties for the second lowest in the history of the program.
North Carolina posted 11-under 853 (285-282-286) to take second with Florida at eight under 856 (284-284-288) in third. North Carolina State and Georgia tied for fourth at 864 (even) followed by Vanderbilt in sixth and Tennessee and Alabama in a tie for seventh.
Ernst, from Seneca, S.C., had 18 birdies over the three day event with just five bogeys and busted to the lead early on the back nine and won by four shots after shooting her second five-under 67 of the competition. Ernst had rounds of 67-69-67 over the 6,206-yard par 72 layout and finished with a school record 54-hole total of 13-under par 203.
The old 54-hole LSU record was set by Megan McChrystal last year in the Tar Heel Invitational of 11-under par 205. Ernst now has the school marks for lowest individual 36, 54 and 72-hole totals at LSU.
The 36-hole leader, Erica Popson of Tennessee shot even par 72 on the day and remained at nine-under for the competition in second place (66-69-72 -207).
Teachman had a spectacular three days and on most other days could have found herself in the winner’s circle for the individual honor with 14 birdies of her own over the six days. She had rounds of 67-72-69 for an eight-under total of 208, the fourth lowest 54-hole score in school history. Teachman tied for third with Camilla Hedberg of Florida.
Freshman Madeline Sagstrom of Sweden showed her abilities, coming from three-over par after her first nine holes of the shotgun start, to shoot five-under over the final nine holes (including an eagle on the par 5 15th) to post two under par 70 and Swedish senior Jacqueline Hedwall made it four under par counting scores with a one-under 71. Sagstrom finished her first collegiate event at four-over par 220 (74-76-70), while Hedwall came in just in front of her with a three-over 219 (73-75-71).
“I am so very pleased with how our team responded again,” said LSU Coach Karen Bahnsen. “Last year, we were one of the best in the nation at final round scoring and we proved it again in this tournament. Everyone contributed something to this win and that’s the best thing to take away from this. We are very happy and look forward to our next tournament in about 10 days.”
The Mason Rudolph NCAA Fall Preview is next on the Lady Tigers schedule, Sept. 23-25 at the Vanderbilt Legends Club in Franklin, Tenn.
Cougar Classic
Final Team Results (288-864)
1. LSU 280-291-277 – 848 -16; 2. North Carolina 285-282-286 – 853 -11; 3. Florida 284-284-288 – 856 -8; 4. North Carolina State 287-290-287 – 864 E; 4. Georgia 295-286-283 – 864 E; 6. Vanderbilt 290-291-284 – 865 +1; 7. Tennessee 280-292-286 – 867 +3; 7. Alabama 287-294-286 – 867 +3; 7. Duke 292-293-282 – 867 +3; 10. South Carolina 307-283-279 – 869 +5; 11. Ole Miss 296-287-293 – 876 +12; 12. Miami 302-303-291 – 897 +33; 13. Furman 301-302-295 – 898 +34; 14. Maryland 299-305-297 – 901 +37; 15. Wake Forest 307-300-297 – 904 +40; 16. Charleston 293-309-304 – 906 +42; 17. Minnesota 305-301-305 – 911 +47; 17. Penn State 308-304-299 – 911 +47; 19. UNCG 305-312-298 – 915 +51; 20 Wisconsin 308-315-293 – 916 +52; 21. Richmond 315-321-307 – 943 +79; 22. Charleston Southern 320-323-316 – 959.
Individual Top 5 (Par 72-216)
1. Austin Ernst, LSU, 67-69-67 – 203 -13; 2. Erica Popson, Tennessee, 66-69-72 – 207 -9; 3. Camilla Hedberg, Florida, 71-67-70 – 208 -8; 3. Tessa Teachman, LSU, 67-72-69 – 208 -8; 5. Jackie Chang, North Carolina, 71-69-70 – 210 -6.
LSU Scores
1. Austin Ernst 67-69-67 – 203 -13
T3. Tessa Teachman 67-72-69 – 208 -8
T30. Jacqueline Hedwall 73-75-71 – 219 +3
T38. Madeline Sagstrom 74-76-70 – 220 +4
T52. Lindsay Gahm 73-75-75 – 223 +7