Oct. 28, 2009

NCAA Fall Preview - October 23-25

Duke Women's Golf Storms Back to Win the NCAA Preview

WILMINGTON, N.C. - Over the 26 years as the head coach of the Duke women's golf team, Dan Brooks has posted some very memorable victories, including five NCAA Championships. The Blue Devils added another great memory on Sunday at the very challenging NCAA Fall Preview as the Blue Devils stormed back from being down 10 strokes to No. 1 UCLA and won by one over fourth-ranked Auburn and UCLA.

As a team, Duke registered an even-par, 288, on Sunday to tie for the best round of the morning and went on to finish the weekend with a 54-hole total of 881 with 18-hole ledgers of 296, 297 and 288. The Blue Devils collected a total of 19 birdies and one eagle on Sunday at the 6,325-yard, par 72 Pete Dye Course at the Country Club of Landfall in Wilmington, N.C.

UCLA (882) finished tied for second with Auburn (882), while Arizona State (889), Virginia (891), Purdue (892), Wake Forest (895), Denver (898), Alabama (903), Michigan State (904) and Georgia (912) closed out the top 10. The field was one of the most challenging Duke has faced all season.

Cavaliers Finish Fifth at Fall Preview

Wilmington, NC - The No. 18 Virginia women's golf team moved up two spots on the leaderboard during the final round of play at The Fall Preview/Landfall Tradition in Wilmington, N.C., to place fifth. The tournament, held at the site of the 2010 NCAA Championships, featured 16 teams ranked in the current Golfstat top-30 rankings.

Virginia freshman Brittany Altomare wrapped up a terrific fall campaign at Virginia by finishing second against some of the nation's top individual players.

Virginia shot 7-over 295 during the final round to complete the three-day tournament at 27-over 891. Duke overtook UCLA during the final round to win the tournament at 17-over 881, one shot ahead of the top-ranked Bruins.

Woods Finishes Tied For Third To Lead Deacons At Landfall Tradition

WILMINGTON, NC - Despite a final round 77, sophomore Cheyenne Woods finished a solid week in a tie for third, which is the best finish of her career, to lead to Wake Forest women's golf team to a seventh place finish at the Landfall Tradition.

Woods opened the tournament with rounds of 70-69 and held a one-shot lead at 5-under par heading into Sunday's round but like the rest of the team, she just didn't have the final round she was looking for.

The Phoenix, Ariz., native made three double-bogeys and one birdie on Sunday at the Landfall Country Club to card a 5-over 77. She finished the weekend even-par and tied for third which is the best finish of her career.

Tar Heels Close Fall Season With Tie At 11th

The University of North Carolina women's golf team shot 912 over the weekend to finish play at the NCAA Fall Preview. The Heels tied for 11th place alongside Georgia and LSU to end their fall season.

Senior Kate Thomas, of Murwillumbah, Australia, led the Carolina squad with a seven-over 223 for the tournament. Thomas tied for 23rd in the Preview, marking her first appearance in the one-spot for the Tar Heels this season.

Sophomore Catherine O'Donnell was right behind Thomas, firing four over for the final day of competition. The Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., native was nine over for the tournament placing her in a tie for 30th place. Freshman Courtney Gunter recovered on Sunday shooting even par to finish her scorecard at 77-77-72. Gunter, of Matthews, N.C., tied for 36th with a 10-over 226 for the tournament.

Palmetto Intercollegiate - OCTOBER 26-27

Terp's Hollandsworth Wins Individual Medal at Palmetto Intercollegiate

KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. - University of Maryland women's golfer Jessica Hollandsworth finished the fall season with a bang, finishing first at the Palmetto Intercollegiate Tuesday at Oak Point Golf Course in Kiawah Island, S.C., leading the Terrapins to a fifth-place finish.

Hollandsworth won her second career individual medal, finishing the tournament with a 3-under-par 213 with rounds of 69, 68 and 76. Hollandsworth's previous medal came last fall at the Spider Invitational in Richmond, Va.

Maryland finished with a 34-over-par 898 to finish fifth, only three strokes shy of second place. It was the Terrapins' third top-finish in five fall events.

Three Hurricanes Finish in Top 40 at Palmetto Intercollegiate

KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. – Sophomore Jennifer Hirano, junior Maria Ronderos and freshman Shelby Gilbert all placed in the top 40 as the University of Miami women’s golf team finished 17th at the Palmetto Intercollegiate at Oak Point Golf Club Tuesday.

East Tennessee State won the team title while shooting 879 as a team. Kansas (895) recorded the best score of the final round to move into second place, while Kennesaw State (896), East Carolina (897) and Maryland (898) finished out the top five.

Ronderos played her best round of the tournament on Tuesday as she shot three-over par 75 and finished tied for 22nd. Freshman Shelby Gilbert led the Hurricanes in the final round firing a two-over par 74 to tie for 37th place.