BATON ROUGE — It has turned out to be a great week for former and future members of the LSU women’s golf team led by former United States Women’s Amateur Champion Meredith Duncan who had her best finish this past weekend on the LPGA tour.
Duncan, from Shreveport, who finished her career in 2002 after winning the women’s amateur in the summer of 2001, finished fifth in the LPGA Corning Classic in Corning, N. Y., with a four-round total of eight-under par 280 (73-68-71-68). That topped her previous best finish of 10th place in the 2006 Long Drugs Classic. Duncan earned $62,484 for the finish, bringing her season total to $73,979, 73rd on the LPGA money list and bringing her career earnings to over $167,000 on the LPGA tour.
Also, three former LSU players (including Duncan) and one future player have advanced through the first round of qualifying for the 2008 United States Women’s Open Championship that is scheduled for the Interlachen Country Club in Edina, Minn., June 26-29. The three must now go through sectional qualifying on June 9 to take the final step toward exempt status for the Open.
Both Melissa and Nicola Eaton, the twins from South Africa who finished their LSU careers in 2007, advanced through local qualifying in Jacksonville, Fla., at the San Jose Country Club. Melissa shot a 74 to tie for third, while Nicola was the final qualifier to sectionals winning a six for two spot playoffs among golfers shooting 77.
Duncan advanced in the final qualifying spot in a playoff after shooting 83 in a large local advancement at the Hamilton Farm Golf Club in Gladstone, N. J.
Incoming freshman Tessa Teachman, of Baton Rouge, was the medalist at the qualifier at the Sewickley Heights Golf Club in Sewickley, Pa. Teachman posted a one-under score of 71 in a qualifier with just four available spots.