Tuesday, September 14
Charleston, S.C. (Yeamans Hall G.C.)
All Day
North Carolina
vs
Cougar Classic
Junkkari 2nd, Women's Golf Ties for 5th at Cougar Classic
September 14, 2021 | Women's Golf
Finnish Native Sets All-Time UNC Scoring Records
Tar Heel junior Krista Junkkari tied a pair of 54-hole school records and Kayla Smith set a collegiate-best with a final-round 67 to lead the University of North Carolina women's golf team to a tie for fifth place at the Cougar Classic Tuesday.
The tournament, the first of the season for UNC and first under head coach Aimee Neff, was hosted by the College of Charleston at Yeamans Hall Golf Club in Charleston. Carolina's 861 three-day total tied the eighth-best 54-hole tournament in school history and its 3-under-par finish is eighth best.
Junkkari shot even-par 72 in today's third and final round and finished in second place after shooting 65-67-72 for a 12-under-par 204. Brooke Matthews of Arkansas won the event with a 25-under 191 (63-64-64).
Junkkari tied UNC records for total strokes (204) and score to par (-12) with Kelly Whaley, who set both marks in 2017 at the Briar's Creek Invitational. The Elimäki, Finland, native set the 18-hole UNC scoring record Monday in round one with a 7-under 65 and followed that with a second-round 67. She made 15 birdies and three bogeys over three rounds. Her runner-up finish is the best by a Tar Heel since Whaley won at Briar's Creek in 2017.
"I'm really proud of this team and the way we started the season," says first-year head coach Aimee Neff. "We held our own against a really strong field and showed what we are capable of. Finishing fifth against some really good teams will give us tremendous energy to get back to work over the next few weeks before we play against another great field at the Blessings in Arkansas.
"Krista played terrific," says Neff. "Finishing solo second with two rounds in the mid-60s is outstanding. Kayla Smith didn't make a bogey today, Natalia (Asequinolaza) had a 68 yesterday, so we had some super bright spots and several career bests."
Smith, a junior from Burlington, N.C., made five birdies and no bogeys today to shoot 67, three strokes better than her previous collegiate low round. She tied for 15th place, her third top-20 finish and first in two seasons.
Aseguinolaza tied for 57th (80-68-74–222), Crista Izuzquiza tied for 73rd (76-74-75–225) and Aleks Golde tied for 79th (76-75-76–227).
Arkansas won the team title at 23-under 841. Baylor was second (-22), Florida third (-13), Georgia fourth (-12) and the Tar Heels and UCF tied for fifth at 3 under.
Carolina had the highest finish of four ACC teams in the 17-team field. Clemson was eighth, Miami ninth and NC State 14th.
The tournament, the first of the season for UNC and first under head coach Aimee Neff, was hosted by the College of Charleston at Yeamans Hall Golf Club in Charleston. Carolina's 861 three-day total tied the eighth-best 54-hole tournament in school history and its 3-under-par finish is eighth best.
Junkkari shot even-par 72 in today's third and final round and finished in second place after shooting 65-67-72 for a 12-under-par 204. Brooke Matthews of Arkansas won the event with a 25-under 191 (63-64-64).
Junkkari tied UNC records for total strokes (204) and score to par (-12) with Kelly Whaley, who set both marks in 2017 at the Briar's Creek Invitational. The Elimäki, Finland, native set the 18-hole UNC scoring record Monday in round one with a 7-under 65 and followed that with a second-round 67. She made 15 birdies and three bogeys over three rounds. Her runner-up finish is the best by a Tar Heel since Whaley won at Briar's Creek in 2017.
"I'm really proud of this team and the way we started the season," says first-year head coach Aimee Neff. "We held our own against a really strong field and showed what we are capable of. Finishing fifth against some really good teams will give us tremendous energy to get back to work over the next few weeks before we play against another great field at the Blessings in Arkansas.
"Krista played terrific," says Neff. "Finishing solo second with two rounds in the mid-60s is outstanding. Kayla Smith didn't make a bogey today, Natalia (Asequinolaza) had a 68 yesterday, so we had some super bright spots and several career bests."
Smith, a junior from Burlington, N.C., made five birdies and no bogeys today to shoot 67, three strokes better than her previous collegiate low round. She tied for 15th place, her third top-20 finish and first in two seasons.
Aseguinolaza tied for 57th (80-68-74–222), Crista Izuzquiza tied for 73rd (76-74-75–225) and Aleks Golde tied for 79th (76-75-76–227).
Arkansas won the team title at 23-under 841. Baylor was second (-22), Florida third (-13), Georgia fourth (-12) and the Tar Heels and UCF tied for fifth at 3 under.
Carolina had the highest finish of four ACC teams in the 17-team field. Clemson was eighth, Miami ninth and NC State 14th.
Players Mentioned
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