The LSU men’s golf team won its first tournament of the 2002-03 season last weekend, while the LSU women’s team averaged 311 strokes per round, an improvement over a 318-stroke average in the fall, in its first tournament of the spring.
The men’s team won the third annual LSU Spring Invitational at the University Club in Baton Rouge last weekend.
The Tiger golfers finished the three-round tournament with a four-over par 868 (289-289-290), five strokes ahead of Jacksonville State at nine-over 873 (292-286-295). Golf Digest’s No. 23 College of Charleston finished third overall at 11-over 875.
The event also marked the first individual collegiate tournament victory for LSU senior John Humphries, who fired a five-under 211 (71-69-71), with a 72-par for the course. He finished two shots ahead of Central Florida’s Matt Leconche at three-under 213.
“It was a huge relief to finally win one … I had gone my entire college career really wanting to win one,” Humphries said. “This is probably as consistent as I have ever played.”
LSU head coach Greg Jones also expressed joy in Humphries first collegiate first-place finish.
“I am really happy for John because he has been in the hunt many times, and it just had not happened until now,” Jones said. “He has worked for it, earned it, deserves it, and I am very happy that he got it.”
LSU sophomores Heath West and Tucker Ervin also finished in the tournament’s Top 25 players. West finished at an even-par-216 tying for eighth place, while Ervin tied for 24th place with a 5-over-221.
Jones liked the way LSU played all weekend, especially during the last round. He also felt relieved the Tigers won their only home tournament of the spring season.
“I know how hard these guys were trying to win, and to finish up the event like they did today was just spectacular,” Jones said.
The LSU women’s team placed 13th out of the 15-team field in Purdue University’s tournament at Puerto Rico’s Palmas Del Mar Course (Par 288-886 team, 72-216 individual).
The Lady Tigers shot a 68-over 932 (309-310-313) as a team for the tournament. LSU newcomer Vicky Meyer led the Tigers with a 6-over-222 (74-74-74) for the tournament and a tie for 10th place on the individual leaderboard.
LSU junior Devon Day shot a 21-over-237 for the tournament, tying her for 50th in the 67-golfer field, while Lady Tiger junior Isabel Dornellas finished in a tie for 57th at 23-over.
Second-ranked Duke won the tournament with an 8-over-872, while Southeastern Conference cohorts Georgia and Florida finished second and third, respectively. Top-ranked Auburn finished No. 10 in the event with a 49-over-913.
The LSU men’s team travels to Lafayette March 10-11 to compete in the Louisiana Classics Intercollegiate Tournament, while the LSU women take a week off to prepare for the Lady Gamecock Classic at the University of South Carolina, March 14-16.