After recording the second-best team score of the day on Monday, the women’s golf team entered the final round on Tuesday in a tie for fifth place at the Cougar Classic in Hanahan, S.C., and just nine strokes out of first place.
The Wolfpack stumbled on the final day Tuesday, scoring a 307, which was enough to keep the team in ninth place of the 20 teams participating. Coach Page Marsh said because it was the team’s first tournament of the season, fatigue could have been an issue.
“For the first tournament out, you get your competitive motor running, and it’s hard to turn it off,” Marsh said. “By the third day, you’re tired just due to the excitement of it being the first tournament. I thought we looked a little fatigued today.”
The tournament, which was hosted by the College of Charleston, was played at Yeaman’s Hall Club, which features Bermuda greens — the same type of greens used in Daytona Beach, Fla., where this year’s ACC tournament is being played.
Notre Dame edged Tennessee by one stroke to beat a field that included 10 teams ranked in the top 50 nationally.
While the Wolfpack did drop out of the top five on Tuesday, there were some positives for State. Junior Lauren Doughtie shot a 71, 71 and 75 on the three days of the tournament. Her total score of 217 was tied for the eighth-best individual score of the tournament.
“I played well the first two rounds,” Doughtie said. “I didn’t have my best day today, but I still had a good time. I am pleased overall for the way we started the season.”
Another standout for the Pack was sophomore Emily Street, who shot a 70, 75 and 74 on the weekend. Her aggregate score of 219 was good enough for a tie for 17th place on the individual leader board. Street said the team’s performance gives it confidence going into the Lady Tar Heel tournament in October.
“We’re just ready to play,” Street said. “We have strong players, and we all came back with a better game than we had last year. We’re looking good, and we’re looking forward to playing and beating Chapel Hill.” Last season State shot its best team round of the season on the final day of the NCAA East Regional with a score of 294. Coach Marsh said the team had hoped it would carry the momentum from last May into the first tournament of the 2007-2008 season.
The team performances of the Pack on Sunday (294) and Monday (291) kept that going. While State did not finish as strongly, Marsh said she is nothing but encouraged by State’s first tournament of the year.
“I think we definitely thought we had a better finish in us,” Marsh said. “They told me they want to get better and they want to finish stronger. As a coach, that’s always encouraging because it’s a joint effort. You have to set goals and be in it together, and I definitely felt that with this group. We had a great team trip.”
