Carolina's O'Donnell Co-Champion At LSU Classic

Sunday, March 11

Baton Rouge, La.

All Day

North Carolina

LSU Golf Classic

March 11, 2012 | Women's Golf

By: UNC Athletic Communications

March 11, 2012

Complete Results

BATON ROUGE, LA. - Tar Heel senior Catherine O'Donnell fired a 1-under-par 71 to finish with a 2-under 214 total to tie for first place with Erica Popson of Tennessee in the individual race at the LSU Classic. O'Donnell led the University of North Carolina to a third-place finish in the team race as the Tar Heels fired an even par 288, the lowest round of any team in Sunday's final round. The Tar Heels finished with a 25-over 889 total in the 54-hole event played at the par-72 University Club.

"The conditions were tough, but I played real smart and made a lot of putts," said O'Donnell after the win. "I was able to get it up and down right much today. The wind was gusty so I tried to miss it in the right areas so getting it up and down was important to my having a great round."

O'Donnell's day started with a bogey on the par-4 4th hole, but she then proceeded to birdie three of the next five holes. On the day, she scored, six birdies, eight pars, three bogeys and one double-bogey on the par-4 18th hole, her 14th hole. This was O'Donnell's first win since her freshman year when she tied for first at the Tar Heel Invitational in the fall of 2008.

Tar Heel sophomore Katherine Perry also fired a 1-under-par 71 in the final round. The Cary, N.C. native finished at 8-over 224 total to tie for 10th place. Sophomore Jackie Chang also finished in the top 20 as she tied for 18th place after firing an even par 72 on Sunday. Chang, from Paradise Valley, Ariz., finished with an 11-over 227 total. Another sophomore, Casey Grice, from College Station, Texas, finished with a 232 total after carding an 80 and tied for 36th. Allie White, a senior from Lancaster, Ohio, posted a final-round 75 for a 233 total and tied for 40th place. Courtney Gunter, a junior from Matthews, N.C., who competed as an individual, tied for 31st after shooting a 76 on Sunday for a 231 total.

Tennessee and LSU were all square going into the final round, but the Vols beat the Tigers on their home course by two strokes. Tennessee fired a 5-over 293 in the final round for a 16-over 880 total while LSU carded a 7-over 295 for an 18-over 882. Carolina finished seven strokes back in third place at 889 while Vanderbilt was a distant fourth with a 908 total. NC State finished in fifth place at 919 while Virginia finished sixth at 925 and Kentucky seventh at 926.

While Carolina's O'Donnell fired a 1-under 71 in the final round, Tennessee's Popson carded a 3-under 69 and both finished at 2-under 214 and were crowned co-champions. Madeline Sagstrom of LSU, the leader entering the final round, finished two strokes back at even par 216 after posting a 2-over 74 on Sunday. LSU's Austin Ernst in fourth place at 2-over 218 after shooting an even par 72. Vanderbilt's Marina Alex and NC State's Augusta James tied for fifth place at 4-over 220 while Purdue's Laura Gonzalez and Tennessee's Nathalie Mansson tied for seventh with 222 total. Irina Gabasa of Vanderbilt, who played as an individual, finished alone in ninth place at 223 while four players tied for 10th at 224 - Carolina's Perry, LSU's Tessa Teachman and Tennessee's Sara Monberg and A.J. Newell.

The 54-hole event was played at The University Club which features a par 72, 6,305-yard layout. The Tar Heels return to action April 6-8 at the Bryan National Collegiate in Browns Summit, N.C.