University of North Carolina Athletics
Francella To Defend Last Year's LPGA Win
March 11, 2008 | Women's Golf
March 11, 2008
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Former University of North Carolina golfer Meaghan Francella returns to Huixquilucan, Mexico, this week to defend her win at last year's MarterCard Classic. This year's event will once again be played March 14-16 at the par 72 BosqueReal Country Club, which features steep terrain and height elevation.
Francella defeated Annika Sorenstam in a four-hole playoff to win the LPGA's 2007 MasterCard Classic Honoring Aleja Peralta, her first win on the LPGA Tour. Francella, who played at Carolina 2003-2004, led going into the final round, but Sorenstam fired a six-under-par 66 to tie Francella, who shot a three-under 69, at the end of regulation play. Francella outlasted numerous weather delays throughout the tournament and was unable to begin her final round until Monday. After both Francella and Sorrenatam ended regulation play knotted at 11-under 205, Francella defeated Sorrenstam on the fourth playoff hole when she sank a 4-foot birdie putt after Sorrenstam missed her 7-foot birdie try.
Francella, the 2003 Atlantic Coast Conference champion and a first-team All-America at Carolina in 2004, carded three additional top-10 LPGA finishes last year. She tied for fifth place at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, tied for sixth at the Corona Championship and tied for fifth at the HSBC Women's World Match Play Championship.
![Images from the first round of the 2026 Gators Invitational on Friday, March 6, 2026 at Mark Bostick Golf Course at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL. [Photo by Matt Pendleton Photography for North Carolina Tar Heels Athletics]](https://images.sidearmdev.com/resize?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdxbhsrqyrr690.cloudfront.net%2Fsidearm.nextgen.sites%2Func.sidearmsports.com%2Fimages%2F2026%2F3%2F7%2F260306-NCAAWGOLF-UNC-GatorsInvitational-0828-MattPendleton_copy.jpg&height=340&type=webp)
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