September 22, 1998

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - North Carolina's women's golf team will play host to 17 teams in this year's Lady Tar Heel Invitational which will take place September 25-27 at Chapel Hill Country Club, a par 72, 6,075-yard layout.

The 54-hole event will follow a format of 18 holes played each day. Tee times will begin at 8:00 a.m. Friday through Sunday. The public is invited to attend and there is no admission fee.

This year's tournament will feature several of the top players in the collegiate ranks. Carolina's Marcy Newton was a semi-finalist in this past summer's U.S. Amateur and was the runner-up in the Tar Heels' first tournament this fall, the Lady Seminole Invitational. Duke brings in a couple of all-star candidates, Jenny Chuasiriporn and Beth Bauer. Chuasiriporn, the defending champion of the Lady Tar Heel, is a two-time All-America selection and was in a playoff for the U.S. Open title this past summer. Joining Chuasiriporn in the Duke lineup will be Bauer, the top-ranked junior player in the country last year and a six-time AJGA All-America selection.

In addition to the Carolina, the other participating teams include Arkansas, Baylor, Coastal Carolina, Duke, Georgia State, Kentucky, Longwood College, Memphis, Methodist College, South Carolina, South Florida, Tennessee, UNC Greensboro, UNC Wilmington, Vanderbilt and Wake Forest. Duke won last year's Lady Tar Heel posting an 884 total, three strokes ahead of runner-up Wake Forest. Duke's Chuasiriporn was the individual champion with an eight-under-par 211.

Carolina opened its fall campaign last weekend with a win at the Lady Seminole Invitational in Tallahassee, Fla. The Tar Heels fired an 871 total, 14 shots ahead of runner-up Florida State. Junior Marcy Newton was the individual runner-up after firing a four-under-par 212. Sophomore Shelley McKevitt finished third at 213 while freshman Heather Angell tied for 10th at 211, sophomore Cuyler Buckles tied for 21st at 225 and freshman Kim Smith tied for 43rd at 230.

Lady Tar Heel Invitational Champions

Year  Holes Team Champion (Score)   Individual Medalist (Score)
1976   18   North Carolina (354)    Mindy Moore, North Carolina (82)
1977   36   Furman (620)            Beth Daniel, Furman (145)
1978   36   Ohio State (630)        Judy Ellis, Ohio State (150)
1979   54   North Carolina (961)    Nancy Rubin, Florida International (225)
1980   54   Georgia (912)           Mitzi Edge, Georgia (222)
1981   54   Georgia (874)           Cindy Pleger, Georgia (212)
1982   54   Ohio State (930)        Susan Ladd, Alabama (222)
1983   36   Kentucky (612)          Mary Ann Widman, Duke (146)
1984   54   Georgia (894)           Michelle Berteotti, Miami, Fla. (218)
1985   54   North Carolina (903)    Michelle Michanowicz, Miami, Fla. (220)
1986   54   Miami, Fla. (899)       Sarah LeBrun, Duke (219)
1987   54   Texas (895)             Kate Golden, Texas (219)
1988   54   Duke (902)              Christine Casingal, Duke (215)
1989   54   Kentucky (919)          Laura D'Alessandro, Wake Forest (224)
1990   54   Texas (901)             Piper Wagner, Texas (217)
1991   54   North Carolina (895)    Renee Heiken, Illinois (214)
1992   54   North Carolina (897)    Kimberly Byham, North Carolina (217)
1993   54   Wake Forest (915)       Stephanie Neill, Wake Forest (220)
1994   54   Wake Forest (889)       Kelly Cap, Methodist College (219)
1995   54   Wake Forest (877)       Marci Clemons, Auburn (215)
1996   54   Tennessee (908)         Kelly McCall, North Carolina (211)
1997   54   Duke (884)              Jenny Chuasiriporn, Duke (211)