Duke Advances to 13th Straight NCAA Championship

Saturday, May 8

Greenville, N.C.

All Day

Duke University

Day Three

Duke Advances to 13th Straight NCAA Championship

5/8/2010 4:00:00 PM | Women's Golf

By: Duke Sports Information

GREENVILLE, N.C. - For the 13th straight year, the Duke women's golf team will participate in the NCAA Championship as the top-seeded and fifth-ranked Blue Devils placed tied for third at the NCAA East Regional on Saturday at the 6,325-yard, Par 72 Ironwood Golf Club in Greenville, N.C.

The Blue Devils led by two strokes heading into the final round but strong wind gusts up to 30 miles per hour brought much tougher conditions to close out the regional on Saturday. After staying away from the bigger numbers for most of the tournament, Duke turned in six double-bogeys or worse under the windy conditions in the final round, while registering 12 birdies. The Blue Devils also suffered four bogeys over the final two holes to close out the day.

"I think we played well this whole tournament -- I really do," said Duke Head Coach Dan Brooks. "I don't feel like the first day was a disaster -- it was decent. I think today was decent. The putts fell that middle day and I feel good about the whole tournament. There is a few intangible things that I feel really good about within the team."

Taking the team title was South Carolina, who is coached by 2001 Duke graduate Kalen Anderson, as the Gamecocks totaled a 54-hole ledger of 864. The victory was the first of her head coaching career with South Carolina. Tennessee finished second with an 866, while Duke (868) and Auburn (868) tied for third and Vanderbilt was fifth with an 871. Rounding out the final three schools to advance to the NCAA Championship was Tulane (873), Pepperdine (877) and TCU (880).

"I am really happy for her [Kalen Anderson] and her team," commented Brooks on his former golfer and assistant coach leading South Carolina to the win. "They have really turned the corner. This South Carolina team -- they haven't been doing this. I hope we are paired with them at nationals coming in at the end of it. It would be great.'

As a team, the Blue Devils posted a 12-over-par, 300, on Saturday, which was 22 shots higher than the day before. Over the three days, Duke totaled rounds of 290, 278 and 300. The Blue Devils were the only team from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) to advance past the East Regional action as Wake Forest was tied for ninth (887) and North Carolina was 13th (899).

Both Kim Donovan and Lindy Duncan closed the regional tied for 13th to lead Duke. Donovan, who is from Hopkinton, Mass., turned in her fifth straight top 20 finish with rounds of 71, 68 and 78 for a total of 217. A day after turning in five birdies and shooting a 68, Donovan struggled early with bogeys on No. 2, No. 3, No. 5 and No. 9 to make the turn at four-over-par, 40. The junior registered her only birdie of the day on the 535-yard, par five 13th as she drained a 15-foot putt. Donovan closed out the round with a double-bogey on the 16th as she hit her drive into the water and hit her approach into the sand on the 158-yard, par three 17th and had a bogey.

Donovan's tied for 13th finish at the NCAA Regional was the best of her career as she had never finished higher than 36th in the two previous regional appearances. For the day, she hit 10 fairways, 11 greens and had 35 putts.

"I couldn't be any happier for Kim," said Brooks. "She feels a little bit bad that things didn't work out today, but she has really come a long way. She has been working on her swing since she came to school and has just really been very coach able in that respect. We are reaping some benefits now. That is great and she looks extremely solid on the course to me."

The reigning ACC Player and Rookie of the year, Duncan couldn't get her putting going on Saturday on her way to finishing with a 75. She had rounds of 72, 70 and 75 over the three days to total 217. In the final round, Duncan was rolling along until a four-putt double-bogey on the fourth hole, but she rebounded with birdies on the sixth and seventh holes to move back to even par. A product of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Duncan closed the back nine with bogeys on No. 10, No. 13 and No. 18. On the 18th, she had a great approach shot into the green but it hit near the flag and spun back down to the bottom of the green, which led to a three-putt bogey.

Continuing her solid play was freshman Stacey Kim, who fired a 75 on the final day to finish tied for 19th with a 218. Kim, who is from Columbus, Ga., has finished in the top 20 in three out of the last four tournaments. She opened the day with three pars before hitting her second shot into the par five fourth hole into the water. Kim was able to drain a sloping putt for bogey to drop to one-over on the morning. She got her score back to even on the challenging 473-yard, par five seventh with a birdie after almost holing out a chip for eagle from 25 yards away that stopped within inches.

Kim pulled her approach shot on No. 8 to the left of the green and finished with a double-bogey, but rebounded with a birdie on the ninth to make the turn with a one-over-par, 37. She played the back nine at two-over-par, 38, with three bogeys and one birdie. Kim's lone birdie came on the 365-yard, par four 12th as she hit her pitching wedge to within a foot. She also rallied for a great par on the 10th hole after hitting her approach shot to the left of the fairway. Kim had a total of 30 putts, while hitting 11 fairways and 11 greens on the day.

Registering Duke's best score of the day was senior Alison Whitaker with a two-over-par, 74. She opened the round with a rough start as she bogied the second hole and had a double-bogey on No. 4 to move to three-over-par. Whitaker, who is from Melbourne, Australia, came back with a four-foot birdie putt on the fifth, but hit her drive just a little off to the right and sent her approach shot sailing over the green before suffering a bogey. Whitaker played the next 11 holes at two-under-par with birdies on No. 8 and No. 10 to move back to one-over-par.

"A lot of the girls went out and struggled on the front nine and then really fought back on the back nine," said Whitaker. "That is a testament to what can happen in things like the regionals and at nationals. A lot of shots can be made up in the last 10 holes. That is where the game is often won so bearing that in mind we have to be super patient next week at nationals."

Her two birdies during that stretch came from four feet and eight feet, respectively. On her last hole of the regional, Whitaker hit her drive left and hit a tree before settling under another tree. She had to punch out and concluded with a bogey to finish with a 74. Her total of 218 for the regional was tied for 19th. Whitaker had a total of 31 putts, hit 13 greens and 11 fairways on the day.

Freshman Courtney Ellenbogen had three holes she would love to take back over her first eight of the day as she was seven-over-par during that stretch to open her final round. A product of Blacksburg, Va., Ellenbogen hit her drive out of bounds on the seventh hole and ended with a double-bogey and snapped her tee shot left on the 191-yard, par three eighth hole and finished with a triple-bogey.

Ellenbogen composed herself well and settled down to play the best final 10 holes of the day for the Blue Devils as she was three-under-par during that stretch. She concluded her round with a 76, which was a key counting ledger for the Blue Devils and was tied for 65th overall with a 227 to finish the tournament. Ellenbogen notched birdies on No. 12, No. 13 and No. 16 to close out the day. She posted a team-best 29 putts in the round, while hitting 10 fairways and 11 greens.

Duke will head to the NCAA Championships on May 15 for practice rounds on May 16 and 17 before opening action on May 18 at the Country Club of Landfall in Wilmington, N.C. The tournament will take place from May 18-21. Duke has won five NCAA Championships under Brooks -- 1999, 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2007.

"It is kind of the same layout at Landfall as it is here with a lot of water on the course [at regionals]," commented Whitaker on the NCAA Championship track. "A lot of things can happen so believing in yourself until the very last hole is something we are going to have to work on. We are really hard on ourselves and I think we need to pat ourselves on the back when we need to. That is something we will be working on this week -- just our attitudes. With our games, we will keep doing what we have been doing and hopefully the two will come together very well."

Notes:

As a team, Duke registered a total of 12 birdies on the final day, while notching 19 birdies in round two and 13 birdies on Thursday.
Senior Alison Whitaker made 3-of-3 up-and-downs for the day.
Last year in the NCAA East Regional, Duke opened with a 298 in round one and was tied for 10th. The Blue Devils ended the regional tied for sixth to advance to the NCAA Championship.

- d - u - k - e -

Duke Results
Start Finish Player Team Scores
T10 T13 Lindy Duncan Duke 72 70 75 217 +1
T1 T13 Kim Donovan Duke 71 68 78 217 +1
T12 T19 Stacey Kim Duke 72 71 75 218 +2
T21 T19 Alison Whitaker Duke 75 69 74 218 +2
T67 T65 Courtney Ellenbogen Duke 78 73 76 227 +11

1 2 3 Team Scores
T3 4 1 South Carolina 283 291 290 864 E
T3 2 2 Tennessee 283 287 296 866 +2
T10 1 T3 Duke 290 278 300 868 +4
1 5 T3 Auburn 280 295 293 868 +4
12 6 5 Vanderbilt 292 287 292 871 +7
T6 7 6 Tulane University 285 295 293 873 +9
2 3 7 Pepperdine 281 290 306 877 +13
9 T9 8 TCU 287 296 297 880 +16
T6 T9 T9 Texas Tech 285 298 304 887 +23
16 13 T9 Wake Forest 296 295 296 887 +23
5 8 11 Florida, U of 284 297 309 890 +26
T13 15 12 East Carolina Univ. 293 305 297 895 +31
15 11 13 North Carolina 294 292 313 899 +35
T17 T20 14 Campbell University 297 307 298 902 +38
T6 12 15 East Tennessee St. 285 304 314 903 +39
T20 18 16 Furman University 305 296 303 904 +40
T20 T16 17 Washington 305 295 307 907 +43
T13 14 18 Chattanooga 293 301 316 910 +46
19 T20 T19 Stetson University 298 306 307 911 +47
22 19 T19 Coastal Carolina 307 296 308 911 +47
T10 T16 21 Georgia State Univ. 290 310 317 917 +53
T17 22 22 Charleston, Coll. of 297 310 314 921 +57
23 23 23 Charleston Southern 315 318 315 948 +84
24 24 24 Fairleigh Dickinson Univ. 327 331 332 990 +126

Start Finish Player Team Scores
T1 1 Katie Burnett South Carolina 67 72 71 210 -6
T7 2 Carlie Yadloczky Auburn 68 73 70 211 -5
T1 3 Rosalyn Kim Texas Tech 70 69 73 212 -4
T5 T4 Nina Muehl East Tennessee St. 64 76 73 213 -3
T5 T4 Erica Popson Tennessee 72 68 73 213 -3
T1 6 Danielle Kang Pepperdine 67 72 75 214 -2
T12 T7 Diana Cantu Tennessee 69 74 72 215 -1
T35 T7 Abby Bools East Carolina Univ. 73 73 69 215 -1
T21 T9 Valentine Derrey TCU 69 75 72 216 E
T29 T9 Marina Alex Vanderbilt 72 73 71 216 E
T12 T9 Nathalie Mansson Tennessee 72 71 73 216 E
T7 T9 Iliska Verwey Georgia State Univ. 70 71 75 216 E
T12 T13 Louise Kristersson TCU 70 73 74 217 +1
T10 T13 Lindy Duncan Duke 72 70 75 217 +1
T21 T13 Megan Grehan Vanderbilt 74 70 73 217 +1
T12 T13 Corrine Carr South Carolina 72 71 74 217 +1
T1 T13 Kim Donovan Duke 71 68 78 217 +1
T21 T13 Charlotte Lorentzen Georgia State Univ. 70 74 73 217 +1
T44 T19 Samantha Troyanovich Tulane University 71 76 71 218 +2
T35 T19 Ashley McKenney Tulane University 73 73 72 218 +2
T21 T19 Alison Whitaker Duke 75 69 74 218 +2
T35 T19 Benedicte Toumpsin South Carolina 74 72 72 218 +2
T12 T19 Stacey Kim Duke 72 71 75 218 +2
T12 T19 Candace Schepperle Auburn 71 72 75 218 +2
T12 T19 Brooke Goodwin Vanderbilt 73 70 75 218 +2
T21 T26 Brooke Beeler TCU 73 71 75 219 +3
T29 T26 Mia Piccio Florida, U of 69 76 74 219 +3
T59 T26 Cheyenne Woods Wake Forest 74 75 70 219 +3
T21 T26 Michelle Shin Wake Forest 74 70 75 219 +3
T44 T30 Catherine O'Donnell North Carolina 76 71 73 220 +4
T21 T30 Maribel Lopez Tulane University 71 73 76 220 +4
T7 T30 Jessica Wallace Pepperdine 67 74 79 220 +4
T35 T30 Emma de Groot Chattanooga 71 75 74 220 +4
T35 T30 Dolores White Wake Forest 74 72 74 220 +4
T12 T30 Alexandria Buelow Stetson University 72 71 77 220 +4
T44 T36 Cydney Clanton Auburn 71 76 74 221 +5
T29 T36 Lisa McCloskey Pepperdine 70 75 76 221 +5
T44 T36 Amy Otteson East Carolina Univ. 70 77 74 221 +5
T29 T39 Janine Fellows Tulane University 72 73 77 222 +6
T29 T39 Courtney Gunter North Carolina 71 74 77 222 +6
T59 T39 Amanda Strang South Carolina 70 79 73 222 +6
T59 T39 Anna Leigh Keith Vanderbilt 75 74 73 222 +6
T21 T39 Sara Monberg Tennessee 70 74 78 222 +6
T35 T39 Kaitlin Drolson Pepperdine 77 69 76 222 +6
T12 T39 Stefanie Kenoyer Furman University 72 71 79 222 +6
T44 T39 Aruka Felgueroso Coastal Carolina 75 72 75 222 +6
T59 T47 Linn Gustafsson Tulane University 71 78 74 223 +7
T55 T47 Beverly Mendoza Texas Tech 70 78 75 223 +7
T35 T47 Isabelle Lendl Florida, U of 69 77 77 223 +7
T35 T47 Gabriella Dominguez Texas Tech 72 74 77 223 +7
T59 T47 Patricia Sanz Auburn 75 74 74 223 +7
T10 T47 Christine Wolf Chattanooga 72 70 81 223 +7
T83 T47 Mary Mattson Campbell University 74 79 70 223 +7
T35 T54 Marika Lendl Florida, U of 73 73 78 224 +8
T44 T54 Nicole Sakamoto * James Madison Univ. 71 76 77 224 +8
T55 T54 Sofia Hagsund * N. Car. Wilmington 75 73 76 224 +8
T44 T54 Haley Wilson Auburn 70 77 77 224 +8
T55 T54 Alicia Grier Coastal Carolina 77 71 76 224 +8
66 T59 Lauren Stratton Vanderbilt 73 77 75 225 +9
T44 T59 Molly Aronsson Washington 75 72 78 225 +9
T67 T61 Mayte Vizcarrondo East Tennessee St. 75 76 75 226 +10
T75 T61 Karinn Dickinson Washington 78 74 74 226 +10
T44 T61 Sarah Bejgrowicz Campbell University 73 74 79 226 +10
T59 T61 Vanessa Koechli Charleston, Coll. of 72 77 77 226 +10
T67 T65 Courtney Ellenbogen Duke 78 73 76 227 +11
T67 T65 Amber Littman East Carolina Univ. 75 76 76 227 +11
T67 T65 Maria Juliana Loza Chattanooga 74 77 76 227 +11
T67 T65 Laura Wearn Furman University 76 75 76 227 +11
T59 T65 Darcie Richmond Washington 76 73 78 227 +11
T83 T65 Michelle Koh Campbell University 75 78 74 227 +11
T75 T65 Sandy Angulo Campbell University 76 76 75 227 +11
T75 T65 Danielle Jackson Stetson University 76 76 75 227 +11
T55 T73 Andrea Watts Florida, U of 73 75 80 228 +12
T44 T73 Evan Jensen Florida, U of 74 73 81 228 +12
T75 T73 Rachel Raastad TCU 75 77 76 228 +12
T83 T73 Shena Yang * South Florida 72 81 75 228 +12
T75 T73 Taylor Barrett South Carolina 76 76 76 228 +12
T29 T78 Kate Thomas North Carolina 74 71 84 229 +13
T99 T78 Jackie Hilea Furman University 80 75 74 229 +13
T75 T78 Natalie Sheary Wake Forest 74 78 77 229 +13
T99 T78 Alexa Rancourt Furman University 80 75 74 229 +13
T75 T78 Sadena Parks Washington 76 76 77 229 +13
T99 T78 Olivia Jordan-Higgins Charleston Southern 79 76 74 229 +13
T83 T78 Michele Holzwarth Fairleigh Dickinson Univ. 77 76 76 229 +13
T44 T85 Laura Jansone East Tennessee St. 71 76 83 230 +14
T93 T85 Lauren Cate Stetson University 74 80 76 230 +14
T67 T85 Leigh Whittaker Charleston, Coll. of 74 77 79 230 +14
T93 88 Katrin Rumpf Charleston Southern 76 78 77 231 +15
T83 T89 Kimberly Kaufman Texas Tech 73 80 79 232 +16
T67 T89 Sarah Thead North Carolina 73 78 81 232 +16
T93 T89 Ana Maria Puche East Carolina Univ. 75 79 78 232 +16
T83 T89 Liz Wendt Furman University 77 76 79 232 +16
T107 T89 Ainhoa Nogales Charleston, Coll. of 77 79 76 232 +16
T67 94 Kathy Boehm Charleston, Coll. of 74 77 82 233 +17
T83 T95 Melissa Loh TCU 76 77 81 234 +18
T75 T95 Jordan Allyne North Carolina 76 76 82 234 +18
T93 T95 Taylore Karle Pepperdine 77 77 80 234 +18
T83 T95 Lauren Spurlock Tennessee 76 77 81 234 +18
T99 T95 Belen Diaz Cisneros Campbell University 75 80 79 234 +18
T99 T95 Brittany Henderson Coastal Carolina 79 76 79 234 +18
T99 T101 Colleen Estes East Carolina Univ. 75 80 80 235 +19
T83 T101 Cathrine Madsen Georgia State Univ. 73 80 82 235 +19
T110 T101 Jessica Alexander Coastal Carolina 78 79 78 235 +19
T107 T101 Anna Hancock Stetson University 77 79 79 235 +19
T93 T105 Alex Gibson Texas Tech 77 77 82 236 +20
T83 T105 Sinead O'Sullivan East Tennessee St. 77 76 83 236 +20
T107 T107 Lauren Darnell Stetson University 76 80 81 237 +21
T93 T107 Taylor Slagle Coastal Carolina 77 77 83 237 +21
T99 109 Anya Alvarez Washington 79 76 84 239 +23
T99 110 Katie Taylor Chattanooga 76 79 85 240 +24
T110 111 Kennie Eisenhower East Tennessee St. 75 82 85 241 +25
T112 112 Eva Mayr Fairleigh Dickinson Univ. 80 79 84 243 +27
T112 113 Amanda D'Ostroph Charleston Southern 77 82 85 244 +28
T115 114 Katelyn Bensch Charleston Southern 84 82 79 245 +29
T117 115 Anna Martin Charleston, Coll. of 85 83 82 250 +34
T115 T116 Sandra Maier Georgia State Univ. 81 85 87 253 +37
114 T116 Madison Jeter Charleston Southern 83 82 88 253 +37
T117 118 Lisa Warrilow Fairleigh Dickinson Univ. 81 87 86 254 +38
119 119 Allie Bodemann Wake Forest 85 89 87 261 +45
120 120 Jessica Benoit Fairleigh Dickinson Univ. 89 89 88 266 +50
121 121 Lauren Chapman Fairleigh Dickinson Univ. 91 93 86 270 +54
122 - Ellie Robinson Georgia State Univ. 77 W W -