CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The No. 3-ranked LSU women’s golf team gave long-time head coach Karen Bahnsen a nice early birthday present, rallying on the back nine to win the Lady Tar Heel Invitational Sunday at the UNC Finley Course.
LSU got some putts to drop in what Bahnsen, whose birthday is Tuesday, called “quite a battle” down the stretch as LSU turned the tables to win by four shots over No. 4 Alabama after the teams started the round tied at 7-under par through the first 36 holes.
For LSU, the win was the second in three tournaments for the Lady Tigers this fall, marking the 34th win for the program under Coach Bahnsen and the ninth year in the program’s 33 years of existence.
Alabama, ranked fourth in the coaches poll behind LSU, had a great start on the final day on the par 72, 6,258-yard UNC course posted 5-under par heading to the back nine. At the same time LSU was 3-over par over the same set of holes, putting Alabama in the front with North Carolina and Auburn beginning to push LSU from behind the top two.
“We didn’t make a putt the entire front nine and Alabama was getting a few to drop,” said Bahnsen. “But our girls never gave up. It was a struggle early, but they worked so very hard and a few things began to drop for us and not drop for Alabama.”
The change came suddenly as LSU got seven birdies and an eagle from Lindsey Gahm on the par 5 13th hole, while the Crimson Tide scorecard showed just three back-nine birdies.
When the last putt dropped, LSU was 1-under for the day and 8-under for the tournament with a three-day total of 856 (284-285-287), with Alabama at 860 (281-288-291). Auburn made the big move to third at 3-under 861 (287-290-284) as host North Carolina settled into fourth one shot back at 2-under.
Madelene Sagstrom led LSU on the final day with a 1-under round of 71 to finish the event at 7-under 209, putting the freshman into a tie for fifth place in the final individual standings, just two shots out of the lead of winner Marta Sanz of Auburn (69-70-68) at 9-under 207.
The Lady Tigers could have used any of the scores on Sunday as Austin Ernst, Tessa Teachman and Gahm all posted even par rounds of 72, while Jacqueline Hedwall posted a one-over 73. Teachman just missed a top 10 finishing at 2-under 214 (71-71-72) to finish in a tie for 11th. Ernst took 15th place at 1-over 217 (72-73-72) and Hedwall finished at 3-over 219 and a tie for 21st after three straight rounds of 73.
Gahm made a tremendous run up the leader board after an 80 on Friday, moving up over 30 spots Saturday and another 10 on Sunday with her team counting 71-70 finish that moved her to 44th at 7-over 223.
“Everyone contributed to this win,” said Bahnsen. “That’s the way you do it. You need everyone on the team. They never give up. We kept our composure and got a very nice win for the Lady Tigers.”
Tulane finished in 14th place at 24-over 888 (295-300-293).
LSU will complete the fall portion of the women’s golf season Oct. 21-23 when they take part in the SEC/Pac-12 Challenge in Knoxville. Follow LSU women’s golf on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/LSUwomensgolf and on Twitter @LSUwomensgolf.
Tar Heel Invitational
UNC Finley Golf Course – Chapel Hill, N. C.
Final Team Results (Par 288-864)
1. LSU 284-285-287 – 856 -8; 2. Alabama 281-288-291 – 860 -4; 3. Auburn 287-290-284 – 861 -3; 4. North Carolina 290-286-286 – 862 -2; 5. North Carolina State 291-289-289 – 869 +5; 6. Tennessee 293-290-287 – 870 +6; 6. Georgia 295-286-289 – 870 +6; 8. Michigan State 291-291-295 – 877 +13; 8. Wake Forest 284-297-296 – 877 +13; 10. Duke 298-287-294 – 879 +15; 11. South Carolina 289-299-294 – 882 +18; 12. Louisville 296-296-292 – 884 +20; 12. Virginia 297-292-295 – 884 +20; 14. Tulane 295-300-293 – 888 +24; 15. Arkansas 300-302-288 – 890 +26; 16. Chattanooga 307-297-293 – 897 +33; 17. Coastal Carolina 304-296-301 – 901 +37; 18. Notre Dame 307-305-297 – 909 +45.
Top 5 Individuals (Par 72-216)
1. Marta Sanz, Auburn, 69-70-68 – 207 -9; 2. Brooke Pancake, Alabama, 69-70-69 – 208 -8; 2. Caroline Powers, Michigan State, 69-68-71 – 208 -8; 2. Augusta James, North Carolina State, 70-69-69 – 208 -8; 5. Madelene Sagstrom, LSU, 68-70-71 – 209 -7; 5. Cheyenne Woods, Wake Forest, 68-71-70 – 209 -7.
LSU Scores
T5. Madelene Sagstrom 68-70-71 – 209 -7
T11. Tessa Teachman 71-71-72 – 214 -2
T15. Austin Ernst 72-73-72 – 217 +1
T21. Jacqueline Hedwall 73-73-73 – 219 +3
T44. Lindsey Gahm 80-71-72 – 223 +7