Carolina Golfers Win Cougar Classic

Tuesday, September 14

Hanahan, S.C.

All Day

North Carolina

Cougar Classic

September 14, 2010 | Women's Golf

By: UNC Athletic Communications

Sept. 14, 2010

HANAHAN, S.C. -

Complete Results

The North Carolina women's golf team captured the championship at the Cougar Classic, its first win since March 2004. The Tar Heels fired a two-over-par 290 in the final round for a four-under 860 total to finish eight strokes ahead of runner-up Mississippi. Two Tar Heel freshmen, Jackie Chang and Casey Grice, tied for runner-up honors in the individual race.

"It was obviously a great win for us," said Tar Heel head coach Jan Mann. "Today, the putts weren't falling for us like they were the first two days, but the girls hung in there tough and played very, very well. Our two freshmen battled it out and ended up tied for second place."

Chang, from Paradise Valley, Ariz., had one birdie on the front side and one bogey on the back en route to an even par 72. Grice, from College Station, Tex., carded four birdies and two bogeys on her way to a two-under 70. Chang and Grice both finished at three-under-par 213 to tie for second place. Courtney Gunter, a sophomore from Matthews, N.C. and the leader after the first two rounds, carded a three-over 75 on Tuesday to finish at one-under 215 tied for sixth place. Junior Catherine O'Donnell, from Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., fired a one-over 73 to finish at five-over 221 in a tie for 21st while senior Sarah Thead, from Poway, Calif., posted a 76 to finish at 225 in a tie for 42nd. Katherine Perry, a freshman from Cary, N.C., shot 74 on Tuesday for a 221 total in a tie for 21st place.

Carolina's 860 winning total was eight strokes better than Mississippi's four-over 868. Ole Miss shot a four-under 284 in the final round, the low round of the day. Oklahoma finished in third place at eight-over 872. South Carolina finished one stroke back at nine-over 873 in fourth place while Florida finished fifth at 875, Florida State finished sixth at 888 and Minnesota placed seventh at 892.

Natalie Gleadall of Mississippi finished strong with a five-under 67 to win individual medalist honors at five-under 211, jumping all the way from a tie for eighth place. Carolina's Chang and Grice tied for second place with three-under 213 totals. Katie Burnett of South Carolina and Shena Yang of South Florida tied for fourth place at two-under 214. Carolina's Gunter and Florida's Mia Piccio tied for sixth place at one-under 215 while Oklahoma's Emily Collins and Florida's Evan Jensen tied for eighth place at even par 216. Laura Weam of Furman finished alone in 10th place at one-over 217.

The 54-hole event was played Tuesday at Yeamans Hall Golf Club which features a par 72, 6,202-yard layout. The Tar Heels return to action Sept. 24-26 at the Mason Rudolph Women's Championship in Franklin, Tenn.