ATHENS, Ga. — LSU senior Meredith Duncan of Shreveport came up with a late birdie Sunday to finish at one-under par for the Southeastern Conference Women’s Golf Championships and score her best ever performance in the event, a tie for fifth.
Duncan had a college career low of 3-under 69 in the opening round, followed with a 3-over 75 on Saturday and hovered around even or 1 over most of Sunday’s round before coming up with birdies on the two front nine par 5s, her 14th and 16th holes of the day to finish at 1-under 71 for a 54-hole total of 1-under 215.
Duncan tied for fifth with Mary Jan Fernandez and Tina Schneeberger of Tennessee at 215. Fernandez shot even par 72 on the day and Schneeberger 73.
Duncan last year at Florida was tied for sixth at 2-over 218, her best previous SEC Tournament finish and her third consecutive top 10 finish in the event.
Defending SEC champion Kristy McPherson played steady golf on the final day firing a one-under par 71 to go with her back-to-back 69s to finish at seven-under 209. She becomes the first to successfully defend the SEC title since Deb Richard of Florida in 1985. Nicki Cutler of Vanderbilt tried to make a run in the final round shooting a final round 67 to finish at 5-under 211. Celeste Troche of Auburn and Young-A Yang of Tennessee finished in a tie for third ahead of Duncan’s group at 4-under 212.
As a team, the LSU Lady Tigers remained in eighth place Sunday in the women’s Southeastern Conference championships at the University of Georgia Golf Course by firing a final round team total of 305 to finish at 921 (57-over, 303-313-305).
In a wild finish between the top three teams, South Carolina’s 2-over 290 was enough to get them home with a tournament record 54-hole score of 861 (3-under) to win its first SEC Championship in women’s golf. That was three shots better than Auburn who lost despite a 54-hole total of even par 864. Tennessee, which moved to the lead at the turn, finished third with 866. Vanderbilt posted a 7-under round on the final day to move to fourth at 875.
LSU by finishing eighth, equals its lowest finish in the SEC women’s tournament for the third time, the first since 1994, ending a seven-year string of finishes of fourth or better, including five runner up finishes.
While the news was not all good on this particular weekend for the Lady Tigers, they are still solid invitees, whether hosting or not, for the NCAA Regional Championship Round when the field of 63 teams is announced next week. LSU is the host school for the East Regional, May 6-9, at the University Club. A team must finish in the top eight in the regional event to advance to the NCAA Division I National Championships later in May outside Seattle, Wash.
“While we may have picked a bad week to be a bit off our game, said LSU Coach Karen Bahnsen, “It’s not the worst thing that could happen. We’ve got almost three weeks now to come home, work on our mistakes from this event and be prepared to face many of these same teams on our home course.”
SEC Women’s Golf Championships
Athens, Ga. — University of Georgia Golf Course
Team Results (Par 288-864)
1. South Carolina 289-282-290 — 861 -3
2. Auburn 280-291-293 — 864 E
3. Tennessee 295-282-289 — 866 +2
4. Vanderbilt 300-294-281 — 875 +11
5. Georgia 298-302-288 — 888 +24
6. Florida 298-295-304 — 897 +33
7. Alabama 305-306-307 — 918 +54
8. LSU 303-313-305 — 921 +57
9. Mississippi 310-314-302 — 929 +65
9. Miss. State 317-310-302 — 929 +65
11. Arkansas 320-301-313 — 934 +70
12. Kentucky 312-317-315 — 944 +80
Individual Top 10
1. Kristy McPherson, South Carolina 69-69-71 — 209 -7
2. Nicki Cutler, Vandy 72-72-67 — 211 -5
3. Celeste Troche, Auburn, 70-71-71 — 212 -4
3. Young-A Yang, Tennessee 69-72-71 — 212 -4
5. Meredith Duncan, LSU 69-75-71 — 215 -1
5. Mary Jan Fernandez, Tennessee 77-66-72 — 215 -1
5. Tina Schneeberger, Tennessee 71-71-73 — 215 -1
8. Danielle Downey, Auburn 69-76-72 — 217 +1
9. Angela Jerman, Georgia 74-74-70 — 218 +2
10. Sarah Jacobs, Vandy 76-71-72 — 219 +3
10. Diana Ramage, Auburn 70-75-74 — 219 +3
10. Summer Sirmons, Georgia 73-75-71 — 219 +3
10. Courtney Swaim, Auburn 71-72-76 — 219 +3
LSU Results
t5. Meredith Duncan 69-75-71 — 215 -1
t33. Lindy Hitdlebaugh 75-79-77 — 231 +15
t49. Isabel Dornellas 78-80-80 — 238 +22
t52. Brooke Shelton 82-81-77 — 240 +24
t58. Devon Day 81-79-88 — 248 +32