Women Golfers Finish Second At Cougar Classic

Tuesday, September 13

Hanahan, S.C.

TBA

North Carolina

Cougar Classic

September 13, 2011 | Women's Golf

By: UNC Athletic Communications

Sept. 13, 2011

HANAHAN, S.C. -
Complete Results

The North Carolina women's golf team fired a 2-under-par 286 to finish in second place at the Cougar Classic. The Tar Heels carded an 11-under 853 total in the three-day event, just five strokes behind champion LSU. Tar Heel sophomore Jackie Chang finished fifth in the individual race.

Chang, from Paradise Valley, Ariz., recorded six birdies, 2 bogeys, and a double bogey in the final round of play for a round of 2-under-par 70 and a team-best 6-under 210 for fifth place. Sophomore Casey Grice, playing as an individual, finished eighth with a 2-over 74 on the day and 4-under 212 for the tournament. She finished the round with 5 birdies, 4 bogeys, and a triple bogey. Junior Courtney Gunter, from Matthews, N.C., finished tied for 12th, improving from 14th place Monday. Gunter shot a 1-under 71 Tuesday, finishing with a 2-under 214. Allie White, a senior from Lancaster, Ohio, finished the tournament tied for 22nd shooting 1-over 217 after shooting a 76 on Tuesday. Sophomore Katherine Perry, from Cary, N.C., hit 2-over 74 in the final round, tying for 26th place with a 2-over 218. Senior Catherine O'Donnell, from Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., finished the tournament tied for 44th place at 5-over 221, shooting 1-under 71 on Tuesday.

LSU fired a 16-under par 848 to come from behind and win the Cougar Classic, finishing five strokes ahead of Carolina, the defending champion which led going into the final round. Florida finished the tournament in third place, posting an 8-under-par 856 total. NC State and Georgia round out the top five tying for fourth place at even par 864. Vanderbilt finished alone in sixth place at 865 while three teams tied for seventh at 3-over 867 - Tennessee, Alabama and Duke.

LSU's Austin Ernst captured the individual title, finishing four strokes ahead of Tennessee's Erica Popson, with a 13-under-par 203 and a 5-under 67 in the final round. Popson, the leader going into the final round, finished with a 9-under 207 after carding an even par 72 on Tuesday. Florida's Camilla Hedberg and LSU's Tessa Teachman tied for third place, each posting and 8-under 208, just two strokes ahead of Carolina's Chang who finished fifth at 206. Two players tied for sixth place at 5-under 211 - Georgia's Rocio Sanchez Lobato and Duke's Lindy Duncan. Carolina's Grice finished alone in eighth place at 4-under 212.

The 54-hole event was played at Yeamans Hall Golf Club which features a par 72, 6,205-yard layout. The Tar Heels return to action Sept. 23-25 at the Mason Rudolph Fall Preview in Franklin, Tenn.