University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers End Historic Season 19th at NCAA's
5/22/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
With a 307 in the final round for a 72-hole score of 1213, the University of Minnesota women's golf team earned a 19th place finish at the NCAA Championships in Tyler, Texas on Saturday. The conclusion of collegiate golf's most prestigious tournament marks an end to one of the best seasons in program history and the furthest the Gophers have advanced in over 20 years.
Teresa Puga was the top Minnesota finisher, using a final round score of 74 to end the event in a tie for 15th overall. The senior from Spain birdied two of her first four holes and four on the day. A triple bogey on hole six tempered the round, but she was able to fight back to move to one under for the round through 13 holes. But three consecutive bogeys on 14, 15, and 16 resulted in the two-over-par effort.
With a 79 over the final 18 holes, Samantha Sommers earned a tie for 55th, while Michele Edlin carded an 80 for the second consecutive round to finish tied for 74th. The senior capped her round with a birdie to conclude her Gopher career on a high note.
Mary Narzisi shot a 79 on Sat. to place in a tie for 106th position and was able to birdie her finishing hole to end her senior year on a memorable note as well. Jackie Shepherd posted her lowest round of the tournament on the last day and finished tied for 115th. The sophomore was as low as over-par before bogeying holes 14 and 15 for the three-over result.
UCLA was able to hold off defending champion Purdue by four strokes to win the 2011 NCAA National Championship. LSU finished third, with Virginia fourth and USC and Arkansas tying for fifth.
Minnesota's qaulification to the 2011 NCAA Women's Golf Championship is was a significant accomplishment for the program, as it marked just the second time the Gophers had done so in school history. The last and only other squad to do so was the 1989 team.
Players Mentioned
