Samford University
Day Three (Furman Invitational)
Women's Golf Earns Top-Five Finish At Lady Paladin Invitational
10.30.11 | Women's Golf
Oct. 30, 2011
GREENVILLE, S.C. - The Samford University women's golf team tallied its fourth top-five finish of the 2011 fall season Sunday as the Bulldogs concluded the 40th Lady Paladin Invitational tied for fifth place at the par-72, 6,160-yard Furman University Golf Course.
Samford turned in its best round of the tournament Sunday with a final-round score of 310. With the Bulldogs' day-three performance, they carded a total team score of 950 (316-324-310). Samford finished the tournament in a tie for fifth place with Augusta State (321-322-307=950).
The University of South Florida (+69) posted the low round of the weekend, a 14-over 302, to rally past East Tennessee State (+70) and Georgia State (+80) to claim first place at the Lady Paladin Invitational. Georgia State's Charlotte Lorentzen (+6) used a final round 71 to capture individual medalist honors.
USF's final-round 302 helped the Bulls rally from a seven-stroke deficit on the final day of the 54-hole tournament and edge the Buccaneers by a single stroke. Georgia State slipped to third place with a 318 while Nova Southeastern (+82) finished fourth and Augusta State (+86) and Samford (+86) rounded out the top five.
Individually, Christina Miller (+11) of USF fired a final-round 70 to move from 13th to second place Sunday while pacing the Bulls to the team title. Lorentzen birdied three of her first eight holes and played even par on the back nine to pull away for the five-stroke victory.
Samford was paced over the weekend by sophomore Natalie Mitchell and true freshman Emily Stallings. Both Mitchell and Stallings concluded the 54-hole tournament with identical scores of 235 and finished tied for 14th place in the individual standings.
Mitchell posted her best round of the tournament Friday with an opening round score of 76. She closed out the competition with an 80 on Saturday and a 79 on Sunday. Stallings, the Bulldogs' newcomer from Fayetteville, Ga., carded scores of 77, 80 and 78, respectively over the weekend.
Senior Sarah Butts overcame a slow start to the Lady Paladin Invitational to post a final three-round mark of 241 (86-79-76). After an opening-round score of 86, the Bulldogs' native of Carrollton, Ga., rallied back to post a 79 on Saturday and a 76 on Sunday.
Samford's Kayla Turner tallied a 78 in the final round of competition to finish the weekend with a 54-hole score of 243 (77-88-78). Fellow-junior Anna Heim turned in her best round of the competition Sunday with a 78. Heim concluded the three-round tournament with a final score of 250 (87-85-78).
This weekend's 2011 Lady Paladin Invitational was Samford's final competition of the fall season. The Bulldogs will next be in action Feb. 27-28, as they begin play in the 2012 spring season at the USA Lady Jaguar Invite to be held at the Azalea City Golf Course in Mobile, Ala.
