May 11, 2008

NCAA East Regional, UGA Golf Course, Athens, Ga.

Duke Advances To NCAA Championship With Second Place Finish

ATHENS, GA.-- For the 11th straight year, the top-ranked and top-seeded Duke women's golf team will participate in the NCAA Championship as the Blue Devils turned in a second place finish at the NCAA East Regional on Saturday, which was being played at the 6,335-Yard, Par 72 University of Georgia Golf Course in Athens, Ga.

Florida, who entered the final round with a three stroke advantage, held on for a one-stroke victory over the Blue Devils with a 54-hole total of 883, after posting a 298 on Saturday. Duke fired an eight-over-par, 296, on the final day to finish with a total of 884. Rounding out the top eight teams who advanced to the NCAA Championship were Georgia (889), Auburn (894), Virginia (898), South Carolina (899), Wake Forest (899) and Furman (900).

The Blue Devils finished second in regional action for the third time out of the last four years, but Duke is the reigning three-time defending NCAA Champions and have won a total of five NCAA titles under the direction of Head Coach Dan Brooks.

Duke junior Amanda Blumenherst turned in her third straight second place finish in NCAA Regional play as she collected a final round of 74 to register a 54-hole ledger of 215, which was one-under-par. A product of Scottsdale, Ariz., Blumenherst produced an opening nine holes of seven pars, one bogey and one double-bogey to make the turn with a three-over-par, 38. She went on to bogey the 11th and 12th holes to move to five-over-par for the day before getting hot down the stretch.

Kim's Sizzling Back Nine Propels UVa to NCAA Championships

Athens, GA - Virginia freshman Joy Kim posted five birdies over her final nine holes at the NCAA East Regional to propel the Cavalier women's golf team back to the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2005. Kim had one bogey during her final round to finish the day at 4-under 68. It was the lowest score of any player Saturday. As a team Virginia shot 4-over 292 to finish the 54-hole tournament in fifth place at 34-over 898. The top eight teams from three regional sites advance to the national championships.

Kim, a native of Duluth, Ga., finished the tournament played at the University of Georgia's Golf Course at 2-over 218 to finish tied for seventh. Her final round score was the lowest of her career and the best 18-hole effort by any Cavalier this season.

Entering the back nine on Saturday, Kim had just two birdies on her first 45 holes during the tournament.

Demon Deacons Tie for Sixth, Advance to NCAA Championship

ATHENS, Ga. - The No. 14 Wake Forest women's golf team will return to the NCAA Championship for the third consecutive year after carding an eight-over 296 in the final round of the NCAA East Regional in Athens, Ga.

The Deacs finished the three-day event tied with South Carolina for sixth place with a 35-over 899. The top eight teams advance to the NCAA Championship in Albuquerque, N.M.

Wake was led by Natalie Sheary's even-par 72. Sheary, who was named the ACC Freshman of the Year earlier this week, recovered from a disappointing second round to record her second 72 of the tournament.

Sheary finished the regional tied for 20th place and was the top finisher for the Deacs with an eight-over 224 for the three-day event.

NCAA Central Regional, University of Texas Golf Course, Austin, Texas

Seminole Women's Golf Team Misses Out On Trip To NCAA Championship Finals On Sudden-Death Loss To LSU

AUSTIN, Tex. - The Florida State University women's golf team was defeated by LSU in a one-hole playoff and did not advance to the NCAA Championship finals as play in the NCAA Central Regional Championship at the University of Texas Golf Course came to a close. The Seminoles and the Tigers finished tied for eighth in the team standings and were forced to wait nearly four hours until the round was completed before beginning the sudden-victory playoff which was won by the Tigers. With all five players teeing off of hole No. 1, the Tigers earned one birdie and four pars while the Seminoles earned five pars. The winning shot - a chip in birdie - was holed by LSU's Alexis Rather.

Florida State moved into a tie for eighth place with its best single-round team total of the event - a 297. The Seminoles were led by Caroline Westrup (even par 72) and seniors Whitney Wright (one-over par 73) and Whitney Brummett (four-over par 76). The Seminoles began the third round three stroke above the cut and closed the after tied with LSU.

Westrup will make her third consecutive NCAA Championships appearance and her second consecutive as an individual. She finished in a tie for fifth place in the individual standings and tied with Lauren Doughtie of NC State as the two highest finishing individuals not on a qualifying team and both advanced to the national championship finals as individuals. Westrup finished in a tie for 11th place at the 2007 NCAA finals and in a tie for 29th in the 2006 NCAA finals.

Doughtie Heads to NCAA's; NC state Team Misses By One Shot

AUSTIN, Texas - Junior Lauren Doughtie qualified as an individual, but as a team, NC State fell short by one shot from making its first trip to the NCAA Women's Golf Championship on Saturday at the NCAA Central Regional at the University of Texas Golf Club

The top eight teams at the regional move on to the NCAA Championship. The Wolfpack finished tied for 10th with a final 54-hole score of +39 (300-304-299=903) - one shot behind LSU and Florida State, who tied for eighth place. LSU won the playoff over the Seminoles.

Unlike the first two rounds where the Pack started strong and then held on for a pair of good scores, the club started rather slow on Saturday from the back nine tees for a second straight day.

But when the ladies made the turn, there game turned up as well. After combining for only three birdies as a team on the back nine, Doughtie and Emily Street led the charge with six birdies over a five-hole stretch to get back into contention for that eighth and final spot in the standings.

NCAA Regional, Lincoln Hills Golf Club, Lincoln, Calif.

Carolina Golfers Finish 19th At NCAA West Regional

The University of North Carolina women's golf team finished in 19th place at the NCAA West Regional. Carolina carded a 18-over-par 306 in the final round for a 914 total at Lincoln Hills Golf Club. Southern California topped the 21-team field with a nine-under-par 855 total after posting a four-under 284.

Carolina junior Sydney Crane led the Tar Heels in the final round. The Jamestown, N.C. native fired a one-over-par 73 for a five-over 221 total to tie for 22nd place. Kate Thomas, a sophomore from Murwillumbah, Australia, carded a six-over 78 for a 225 total and tied for 44th place. Junior Lauren Hun, from Little River, S.C., posted a five-over 77 on Saturday for a 230 total to tie for 76th while senior Ann Laney, from Charlotte, N.C., carded an 80 for a 240 total and tied for 98th and senior Colette Lowe, from Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., finished one shot back at 241 in 100th place after posting a six-over 78 in the final round.