University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina Closes Out ACC Championship In Seventh Place
April 17, 2006 | Women's Golf
April 17, 2006
Pinehurst, N.C. - Just as they did two weeks ago at the Bryan Collegiate, all five Carolina golfers shot in the seventies in the final round of the ACC Championship at Pinehurst No. 8 Sunday. Unfortunately the solid showing wasn't enough to move up in the standings and the Tar Heels finished out the tournament in seventh place.
"We're better than what we showed today," said head coach Sally Austin. "We're disappointed in the way we played."
On the day, the Tar Heels shot a19-over par, 307 which was one shot worse than Saturday, but a eight stroke improvement on the team's first round card. Freshman Sydney Crane had the best round Sunday carding a four-over 76. The Jamestown, N.C. native really got heated up on the back nine posting a one-over 37, her best nine of the tournament. Following closely behind Crane in the third round were sophomores Ann Laney and Laura Caniff and freshman Lauren Hunt who all three finished with 77s. Junior Katie Miller rounded out the team with a 79.
Despite having the card in the third round, Miller paced the team for the tournament taking home the best finish in a tie for 19th at 16-over par. The weekend bettered her previous best finish in the ACC Championships, a tie for 20th in 2004. The rest of the Tar Heels were bunched closely right behind Miller. Hunt was a stroke back at 17-over in a tie for 22nd, Caniff two strokes in a tie for 24th, while Laney and Crane were both three strokes behind Miller in a tie for 26th.
Duke won its 11th straight ACC women's golf title by firing a six-over 294 to defeat runner-up Virginia by 19 strokes. There were five rounds under 300 on the weekend and Duke was responsible for three of them, further cementing their claim as the top women's golf team in the ACC and number-one ranked team in the country. Virginia secured second place with a ten stroke advantage on Wake Forest which moved up three spots in the standings Sunday. Maryland and Florida State rounded out the top five.
Duke freshman Amanda Blumenhurst won the individual title and was the only golf under-par for the championship. She posted a steady even-par 72 Sunday to defeat Virginia's Leah Wigger by seven strokes. Blumenhurst is the 12th Duke Blue Devil to win the ACC's individual championship and seventh Duke freshman to earn the same honor. In addition to the ACC title, Duke captured the coveted Carlyle Cup point to give the Blue Devils a slim 11-10 lead over Carolina entering next weekend's Men's ACC Golf Championship where another full point will be on the line.
TEAM STANDINGS (54 Holes)
1. Duke 294-297-294--885 +21
2. Virginia 308-300-296--904 +40
3. Wake Forest 314-302-298--914 +50
4. Maryland 308-304-305--917 +53
5. Florida State 302-307-309--918 +54
6. N.C. State 302-312-306--920 +56
7. North Carolina 315-306-307-928 +64
8. Miami 316-310-307--933 +69
9. Boston College 330-323-314--967 +103
TOP INDIVIDUALS (54 Holes)
1. Amanda Blumenherst (Duke) 69-71-72--212 -4
2. Leah Wigger (Virginia) 76-72-71--219 +3
3. Nancy Mountcastle (N.C. State) 74-75-73--222 +6
4. Caroline Westrup (Florida St.) 72-79-72--223 +7
5. Katie Trotter (Maryland) 72-77-75--224 +8
Carolina's Individuals (54 Holes)
T19. Katie Miller 78-75-79--232 +16
T22. Lauren Hunt 77-79-77--233 +17
T24. Laura Caniff 82-75-77--234 +18
T26. Ann Laney 81-77-77--235 +19
T26. Sydney Crane 79-80-76--235 +19
Players Mentioned
