University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
NCAA East Regional
Carolina Golfers Finish Second At NCAA East Regional
May 7, 2011 | Women's Golf
May 7, 2011
DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. -
The North Carolina women's golf team qualified for the NCAA Championships finishing as the runner-up at the NCAA East Regional played at LPGA International's Legends Course. The Tar Heels fired a 5-over-par 293 in the final round for a 4-over 868 total, just two strokes behind Alabama.
Three Tar Heels fired a 1-over-par 73 in the final round - junior Catherine O'Donnell and freshmen Jackie Chang and Casey Grice. The other two Carolina players, freshman Katherine Perry and junior Allie White, carded a 2-over 74 on Saturday. O'Donnell, from Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., tied for sixth place with a 1-over 217 total. Perry, from Cary, N.C., and Chang, from Paradise Valley, Ariz., both finished one stroke back at 2-over 218 in a tie for 11th place. White, from Lancaster, Ohio, tied for 18th at 3-over 219 while Grice, a native of College Station, Texas, posted a 4-over 220 to tie for 20th place.
Alabama topped the 24-team field with a 2-over 866 total after carding a 295 in the final round. Carolina was the runner-up, finishing just two strokes back at 4-over 868. Arizona State finished three strokes behind the Tar Heels in third place at 7-over 871. Coastal Carolina finished in fourth place at 876 while California was fifth at 878, Purdue sixth at 879, Florida seventh at 880 and Vanderbilt and Florida State tied for eighth place at 890. Vanderbilt defeated Florida State for the eighth and final qualifying spot for the NCAA Championships.
Stephanie Meadow of Alabama, the second round leader, fired a 3-under-par 69 on Saturday to finish at 9-under 207 and topped all individuals. Pia Haibig of California finished six strokes back in second place at 3-under 213 after firing a 2-under 70 on the final day. Three players tied for third place at even par 216 - Coastal Carolina's Jessica Alexander, Florida State's Jessica Negron and Arizona State's Daniela Ordonez. Five players, including Carolina's O'Donnell, are tied for sixth place at 1-over 217. The other four are Purdue's Laura Gonzolez, Alabama's Brooke Pancake, Michigan State's Caroline Powers and Florida State's Maria Salinas. Florida State's Jessica Negron and Michigan State's Caroline Powers are the two individual qualifiers for the NCAA Championships. Powers defeated Florida State's Maria Salinas on the first playoff hole for the final spot.
The 54-hole event was played at LPGA International, Legends Course, which features a par 72, 6,271-yard layout. The top eight teams and top two individuals not on those eight teams advance on to the NCAA Championships May 18-21 in Bryan, Texas. The Tar Heels are one of those teams and now prepare for a strong finish to the 2011 season.
Players Mentioned
