While the LSU women’s golf team couldn’t capture a title at the LSU Tiger Golf Classic this past weekend, the redesigned University Club golf course drew championship praise from competing players and coaches.
For the host No. 5 Lady Tigers, the three-day, 54-hole event ended in a sixth-place finish after LSU began Sunday’s final 18 just four strokes out of the lead.
LSU coach Karen Bahnsen said the new par-72, 6,250-yard layout — used for women’s tournaments — earned rave reviews in its first time hosting a collegiate tournament since re-opening in August.
“[The other coaches] all said it was a championship-level course, and they’ll be bringing their teams back in the future,” Bahnsen said.
Bahnsen said blustery conditions during Saturday’s second round led to some high scores for many teams, including LSU.
“The conditions were rough on Saturday,” Bahnsen said. “[The wind] really didn’t blow other than that, but we were in the late wave [Saturday] and faced the greens after they had dried out and firmed up.”
After a second-day team total of 17-over par 305, the Lady Tigers posted a final-round team score of 8-over par 297 but couldn’t move up a crowded leaderboard.
“[The players] fought hard [Sunday] and kept their composure, but we’ve still got to eliminate some mistakes late in the round,” Bahnsen said.
However, no one appeared capable of catching No. 26 Arkansas on Sunday, as the Lady Razorbacks carded a sizzling 1-under par final round of 287 to run away with the team title by seven strokes.
“I heard some complaining from a lot of my players about the greens early this week, so I made it a challenge for them, and they answered on a tough course against a great field,” said Arkansas coach Shauna Estes-Taylor.
Top-ranked senior Megan McChrystal entered the third round just two shots off the lead, but early struggles, including two double bogeys, left her scrambling for a 3-over par 75 that led to a tie for fifth.
Freshman Austin Ernst ended the tournament with an even-par 72, but her first two rounds of 77 and 80 kept her from seriously contending.
Overall, LSU had five players in the top 30 individually, but Bahnsen said her team still lags this spring.
“We hit on all cylinders in the fall, and that hasn’t happened this spring,” Bahnsen said. “We’ve got to get better 4th and 5th scores each day.”
 
 
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Contact Chris Abshire at [email protected]