ROGERS, Ark. — When the eighth-ranked LSU women’s golf team posted a 321 round and stood in ninth after the first day of the Southeastern Conference Women’s Golf Tournament, everyone wrote the Tigers off for the 2000 edition of this tournament.
Everyone but the team and its coach Karen Bahnsen, who was thinking of another rally of epic proportions in the Ryder Cup last September.
Bahnsen’s team rallied from ninth to fourth on Saturday and then posted the only sub-300 round of the tournament on a windy, rain-threatening Sunday to come within just two strokes of pulling off a spectacular rally to win the championship.
The Tigers runnerup finish to Auburn, was LSU’s fourth second place finish in the last five SEC Championships.
“Everyone forgot about us after the first day,” said LSU Coach Karen Bahnsen. “But that wasn’t going to be the way this LSU team was going to finish. This team has so much heart and they played like it. We had a great meeting after that first round and I reminded them about the U.S. Ryder Cup team and how far they were behind and counted out by everyone. We were in that same boat.
“This team dug in and fought back. They moved into position on Saturday and then really attacked the golf course (Sunday) despite the wind and the scores of the last two rounds are indicative of that. We were so close, but we just didn’t quite get there. They played with heart like I’ve never seen and that’s what I’m most proud of. There are a couple of tears, not because I’m sad, but because of the way they fought back.”
On the final day, LSU posted a 10-over par 298 total to Auburn’s 307, leaving Auburn up by two strokes in the final total, 921-919. Auburn last won the championship in 1996 in Knoxville in a tournament LSU finished second, making up seven strokes of a 10-stroke deficit in the final round that year.
Tennessee remained in third at 61-over par, 925, with Georgia in fourth and Mississippi State and Florida, in second entering the final round, tying for fifth.
Individually, Danielle Downey of Auburn, won the title with an 8-over 224 total. LSU sophomore Tina Howard of New Zealand, and Shreveport sophomore Meredith Duncan both posted their first SEC top 10s. Howard finished in a tie for sixth at 11-over 227 (77-75-75) and Duncan was at 13-over (78-77-74), good enough for a tie for ninth. LSU senior Lee of Kenner, finished in a tie for 12th at 15-over 231 (80-77-74) and junior Katy Wilkinson rallied from her slow start to finished tied for 17th at 18-over 234 (86-73-75).
In the final stats, LSU made more pars than any other team in the tournament, but was tied for 10th in birdies. The Tigers were the best in the tournament on the par fours, while Auburn was the event’s leader on the par 3s and par 5s. Duncan and Howard were two-three in par 4 scoring, with Duncan playing the par 4s in even par and Howard at plus-3. Lee played the par fives at 1-under, tied for second best in the event.
The Tigers will now wait for the school record sixth consecutive NCAA East Regional bid which is expected in one week. The regional is scheduled for May 11-13 at Columbus, Ohio.
SEC WOMEN’S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS
Pinnacle Golf Course –Rogers, Ark.
Final Team Results (Par 288-876)
1. Auburn 306-306-307 — 919 +55
2. LSU 321-302-298 — 921 +57
3. Tennessee 312-309-304 — 925 +61
4. Georgia 311-313-308 — 932 +68
5. Mississippi St. 307-322-309 — 938 +74
5. Florida 316-301-321 — 938 +74
7. Kentucky 314-320-316 — 950 +86
8. Arkansas 318-311-327 — 956 +92
9. South Carolina 314-326-319 — 959 +95
10. Vanderbilt 328-318-320 — 966 +102
11. Mississippi 321-318-329 — 968 +104
12. Alabama 323-337-316 — 976 +112
Final Individual Top 20 (Par 72-216)
1. Danielle Dowey, Auburn 74-73-77 — 244 +8
2. Young-A Yang, Tennessee 79-71-76 — 226 +10
2. Shauna Estes, Georgia 77-77-72 — 226 +10
2. Celeste Troche, Auburn 73-77-76 — 226 +10
2. Brittany Straza, Florida 76-70-80 — 226 +10
6. Tina Howard, LSU 77-75-75 — 227 +11
6. Christina Clausen, Miss. St. 71-82-74 — 227 +11
8. Marie Allen, Kentucky 76-79-73 — 228 +12
9. Meredith Duncan, LSU 78-77-74 — 229 +13
9. Kristy Kortuem, Arkansas 77-76-76 — 229 +13
11. Kristy McPherson, S. Carolina 77-79-74 — 230 +14
12. Lisette Lee, LSU 80-77-74 — 231 +15
12. Paula Marti, Florida 76-77-78 — 231 +15
12. Robyn Rinaldo, Ole Miss 74-79-78 — 231 +15
15. Angela Jerman, Georgia 78-77-78 — 233 +17
15. Erin Simmons, Tennessee 81-78-74 — 233 +17
17. Meredith Ward, Vanderbilt 76-83-75 — 234 +18
17. Kami Smith, Auburn 77-79-78 — 234 +18
17. Katy Wilkinson, LSU 86-73-75 — 234 +18
20. Tina Schneeberger, Tennessee 75-80-80 — 235 +19
20. Laura Henderson, Georgia 76-79-80 — 235 +19
20. Jeanne Cho, Florida 79-76-80 — 235 +19
LSU Scores
t6. Tina Howard 77-75-75 — 227 +11
t9. Meredith Duncan 78-77-74 — 229 +13
t12. Lisette Lee 80-77-74 — 231 +15
t17. Katy Wilkinson 86-73-75 — 234 +18
t46. Lindy Hitdlebaugh 91-77-80 — 248 +32