Blumenherst & Lee Finish Third & Fourth As Duke Opens Spring

Tuesday, February 17

Parrish, Fla.

All Day

Duke University

Day Two

Blumenherst & Lee Finish Third & Fourth As Duke Opens Spring

2/17/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf

By: Duke Sports Information

PARRISH, Fla. ? The eighth-ranked Duke women's golf team turned in a final round 303 on Tuesday to close out the Central District Invitational in fourth place with a 54-hole total of 895 at the 6,099-Yard, Par 72 River Wilderness Country Club in Parrish, Fla. The field had to deal with winds approximately 20 mph with gusts up to 25.

“I am very happy to get started,” said Duke Head Coach Dan Brooks. “I am hopeful that Alison's [Whitaker] back will get better. We decided to rest her today. I think she was willing to gut it out but we didn't let her play. We were not certain that resting it would make it better but I cannot imagine playing with a lot of pain would be good for it.”

Auburn turned in a 54-hole total of 882 to earn the team title on Tuesday, after carding an 18-hole total of 303 in the final round. LSU (885) finished second, while Purdue (888), Duke (895), Michigan State (903), Ohio State (907), TCU (909), Kent State (916), Oklahoma (918) and Texas (925) rounded out the top 10.

The Blue Devils once again played with four golfers on Tuesday as junior Alison Whitaker is suffering with a sore back, which made her withdraw after the first round on Monday.

In the individual competition, Duke registered two out of the top four finishers as senior Amanda Blumenherst (215) was third and senior Jennie Lee (216) was fourth.

“We were excited to be out there and I saw a lot of good golf,” said Brooks. “We have some good things going on -- you saw Jennie and Amanda's first two rounds, which were very good stuff. [Kim] Donovan really played the kind of golf the first two rounds that she was able to put together in the last round, but putts were not falling. We are going to stay on a course of practice that includes lots of short game. I think that has helped us and that is where the best bang for our buck is.”

Blumenherst, who is from Scottsdale, Ariz., couldn't get anything going on Tuesday after carding back-to-back rounds of 70 on Monday. She finished with a three-over-par, 75, as she notched two birdies to go along with five bogeys. Blumenherst notched her 34th career top 10 finish.

“I played really well yesterday,” said Blumenherst. “I was very pleased with the way I hit the ball and my putting. I have been working really hard on my putting in the offseason. I could definitely tell that it improved on the first day. Today I was not happy with how I played at all -- ball-striking and the short game. It was a positive to see myself play well yesterday.”

A product of Henderson, Nev., Lee closed with a 74 after notching a 70 and 72 on day one. She kicked off her day with three straight birdies before settling down and playing the final 15 holes at one-under-par. The top 10 finish was her third of the season and 13th of her career.

Sophomore Kim Donovan collected the best round of her tournament on Tuesday as she fired a two-over-par, 74, to finish tied for 22nd with a 228. The Hopkinton, Mass., product finished the 54-hole tournament with rounds of 76, 78 and 74. Her final round of 74 is a season best during a final 18 holes.

Lee, who is from Orlando, Fla., finished tied for 49th with rounds of 78, 78 and 80 for a total of 236.

“It was great to start the season in warm weather,” said Blumenherst. “We definitely missed Alison, which is something we are really hoping her back gets better. This gave us a chance to play under a little bit more pressure and get us even more prepared for later in the spring.”

Duke will next travel to Mexico for the Wildcat Invitational from Feb. 22-24 at the Peninsula Golf Club.
The tournament will take place in Puerto Pe?asco in the state of Sonora, Mexico.

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