Sept. 30, 2009

Silva Leads FSU Golf To Title

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Florida State junior Macarena Silva won the first individual title of her collegiate career and led the No. 8 Seminole women's golf team to the championship of the University of Kentucky/Bettie Lou Fall Invitational on the Big Blue Course at the University Club of Kentucky. Silva finished with a career-low tying 36-hole total of 143 in the two-round tournament and finished in a tie for first place in the individual standings with Paula Hurtado of Florida International. Florida State finished in first place with a five-stroke victory over UCF.

The event was shortened to two rounds after Saturday's second round was cancelled because of heavy rain in the Lexington area.

The Seminoles, who are ranked No. 8 in this week's GolfWeek/Sagrain Power Rankings, led the event wire-to-wire in gaining their first team victory of the fall 2009 season and first since winning the spring 2008 LSU Invitational. The win was the 22nd of her Florida State coaching career for head coach Debbie Dillman.

Ronderos, Hirano Finish in Top 25 at Kentucky Invitational

LEXINGTON, K.Y. - Junior Maria Ronderos and sophomore Jennifer Hirano each shot three-over par 74 to finish tied for 24th and lead the University of Miami women's golf team to a 13th place finish Sunday at the Bettie Lou Evans Fall Invitational at the University Club of Kentucky.

Florida State (587) won the team title followed by top five finishers UCF (592), Chattanooga (598), Notre Dame (598) and Kennesaw State (601). Miami performed better as a team in the final round shooting 306 - seven strokes better than its round one score. The tournament was shortened to two rounds after inclement weather in the Lexington area cancelled Saturday's originally scheduled second round.

Ronderos and Jennifer Hirano shot identically on the front nine and back nine. Each shot 38 on the first nine holes and 36 on the back nine.

Duke Makes Run; Finishes Tied for Fourth

FRANKLIN, Tenn. - What a difference a few weeks make and some hard work on the course for the 10th-ranked Duke women's golf team. Duke opened the 2009-10 campaign by finishing 10th at the NGCA Match Play Championship qualifying in 36 holes by shooting two straight rounds of 303, which was 30-over-par. The Blue Devils came back over the weekend at the Mason Rudolph Women's Championship and fired an 11-under-par, 565, with back-to-back under par rounds at the 6,217-yard, par-72 Vanderbilt Legends Club.

As a team, Duke took the lead midway through Sunday's final round as the Blue Devils were 10-under-par at one point on the afternoon. The Blue Devils concluded the tournament tied for fourth as four of the five Duke golfers turned in under par rounds to close out the weekend. Duke posted a final round of six-under-par, 282, to go along with a first round of 283 to collect an 11-under-par, 565.

Southern California won the Mason Rudolph Championship with a 16-under-par ledger of 560 with UCLA (562), Auburn (563), Arizona State (565), Duke (565), LSU (569), Alabama (570), Oklahoma State (571), Georgia (573) and Arizona (576) rounding out the top 10.

Cavaliers Finish 12th at Mason Rudolph Intercollegiate

Franklin, TN - The No. 9 Virginia women's golf team finished 12th at the rain-shortened Mason Rudolph Intercollegiate held in Franklin, Tenn. at the Vanderbilt Legends Club. The Cavaliers shot 1-under 287 Sunday to finish the 36-hole tourney at 3-over 579. Saturday's second round was not played due to rain.

Virginia was led on the final day by junior Calle Nielson, who shot 4-under 68 playing near her hometown of Nashville. Nielson finished 49th at 146. Freshman Nicole Agnello led UVa overall on the leaderboard at 1-over 145. She shot even par 72 Sunday to place 40th in the field. Whitney Neuhauser equaled Nielson's 146 after carding a 4-over 76 Sunday. Eleana Collins and Brittany Altomare were 61st overall at 4-over 148.

USC edged out cross-town rival UCLA for the team title. The Trojans shot 16-under 560, two shots better than the Bruins. USC sophomore Jennifer Song, the 2009 U.S. Amateur Champion, took medalist honors by posting a two-day score of 12-under 132. She was three strokes ahead of a trio of golfers who tied for second at 9-under 135.

Four In Top-20 Give W. Golf 4th at UNCG Tournament

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Four golfers finished in the top-20 lead the NC State women's golf team to a fourth-place finish at the UNCG Starmount Fall Classic at Starmount Country Club.

In the final round of the three-day event, the Wolfpack shot a team score of +24 (308) and finished with a 54-hole score of +64 (303-305-308=916).

Sophomore Meghan Chapman propelled up the scoreboard 16 slots with a one-over 72 on Tuesday. She wound up the Pack's top finisher by tying for 14th at +15 (81-75-72=228).