HANAHAN, S.C. – Duke's
Sandy Choi opened the 2014-15 campaign with a bang as the sophomore closed the Cougar Classic with an eagle and two birdies over her final five holes to claim her first collegiate individual title with an 11-under-par ledger at the 6,204-yard, par 72 Yeamans Hall Club in Hanahan, S.C.
Choi, who is from Seoul, South Korea, turned in rounds of 69, 68 and 68 for a career-best three-day total of 205. She claimed the title by one stroke over Wake Forest's Sierra Sims, UCLA's Bronte Law and UCLA's Alison Lee, who carded a 10-under, 206. The three-day ledger of 205 was two off the Duke 54-hole tournament record.
“It is pretty shocking to me right now because I really didn't come into this tournament thinking that I was going to win,” said Choi. “My goal for this tournament was to just finish no matter what the score was because I wasn't feeling well at all. Right now it is just hard for me to believe that I won because I have never really thought about winning a college tournament, individually.”
The teams dealt with lightning delays and heavy rain that delayed the final round twice Tuesday, but Choi and the Blue Devils played outstanding golf.
“Sandy was sick the few days before we left,” said Duke head coach
Dan Brooks. “She spent time in an ambulance and in the emergency room. She was as solid as a rock. You would have never thought she went through what she went through the days leading up to it.”
As a team, Duke placed third overall with a 54-hole total of 856, after carding rounds of 294, 280 and 282, which was eight-under-par. Following the first round of 294, the Blue Devils played the final 36 holes at a tournament-best 14-under-par, 562. Duke did all this without the services of 2014 National Player of the Year
Celine Boutier and freshman
Gurbani Singh.
“I know this team would have liked to win, but I am very proud of the effort,” commented Brooks. “We stayed really tough. It required a lot of patience. All three rounds were very slow. We were on and off the course a few times. I am very excited about the team, right down the list of players.”
Arkansas earned the team title with an 18-under-par, 846, while UCLA (853), Duke (856), Virginia (861), Mississippi State (861), Wake Forest (862), Tennessee (862), UCF (871), NC State (873) and Georgia (885) rounded out the top 10.
Choi opened her shotgun start Tuesday on hole five and quickly went under par with a birdie on No. 6. A bogey on No. 9 brought her back down to even par. Over the next eight holes, Choi would play it even par with six pars, one bogey and one birdie on the 14th hole.
Over the final five holes is where Choi made her move as she carded her second career eagle with a chip in from 20 yards with her lob wedge. Still down on the leaderboard, Choi needed birdies to have a chance for the title and she converted. She sank a six-foot birdie putt on No. 2 and then hit her 7-iron to within two feet for birdie on the 136-yard, par three third hole to get to 11-under. Choi made a par on her final hole to net the win.
“My woods and my irons were really good all week,” said Choi. “I was able to stick a lot of my shots close to the pin, which was really helpful. As a team, we really finished strong. I am really proud of the team with how we finished.”
The Duke freshman tandem of
Leona Maguire and
Lisa Maguire, who are from Cavan, Ireland, each carded top 20 finishes in their first collegiate tournament.
Leona Maguire placed tied fifth with rounds of 69, 71 and 68 for a total of eight-under, 208.
Lisa Maguire finished tied 15th with rounds of 74, 70 and 70 for a two-under, 214.
“The freshmen did great,” said Brooks. “Due to thunder showers and slow play, their first tournament was a challenging one and both stayed so patient. I was very impressed by their golf and their determination. They both played great golf.”
Leona Maguire's three-day ledger of 208 marks the tied second-lowest score by a Duke freshman in school history. Maguire turned in a final round 68 as she posted six birdies, including three in a row from holes 14-16. For the day, she hit 16 greens, 13 fairways and had 30 putts.
Playing the final two days at four-under-par,
Lisa Maguire continued to move up the leaderboard the final 36 holes. She notched three birdies Tuesday on holes three, nine and 15. Maguire hit 13 fairways, 10 greens and had 26 putts.
Junior
Yi Xiao concluded the tournament tied 79th with rounds of 82, 71 and 76, while senior
Irene Jung withdrew after the second round. Xiao, who hails from China, hit 11 fairways, five greens and had 28 putts on the final day.
Duke will next play in the Annika Intercollegiate from Sept. 28-30 at the Reunion Resort in Orlando, Fla.
Notes: •
Sandy Choi had been sidelined with dehydration prior to the tournament.
#GoDukeDuke ResultsT4 1
Sandy Choi Duke 69 68 68 205 -11
T7 T5
Leona Maguire Duke 69 71 68 208 -8
T19 T15
Lisa Maguire Duke 74 70 70 214 -2
T77 T79
Yi Xiao Duke 82 71 76 229 +13
120 -
Irene Jung Duke 94 87 W - -
1 2 3 Team Scores2 1 1 Arkansas 283 284 279 846 -18
7 T2 2 UCLA 290 279 284 853 -11
T9 5 3 Duke 294 280 282 856 -8
T4 7 T4 Virginia 288 289 284 861 -3
6 8 T4 Miss. State 289 292 280 861 -3
1 T2 6 Wake Forest 282 287 293 862 -2
T9 T9 7 Tennessee 294 293 281 868 +4
T4 6 8 UCF 288 288 295 871 +7
3 4 9 NC State 287 285 301 873 +9
13 13 10 Georgia 296 298 291 885 +21
16 11 11 Wisconsin 299 291 298 888 +24
14 14 12 Florida 297 298 294 889 +25
8 12 13 College of Charleston 293 300 300 893 +29
12 T9 14 North Carolina 295 292 308 895 +31
T9 15 15 Charleston Southern 294 304 303 901 +37
23 16 16 Clemson 309 291 304 904 +40
15 17 17 Mississippi 298 303 304 905 +41
22 18 18 Indiana 308 294 307 909 +45
T20 19 19 Penn State 307 300 303 910 +46
T17 22 20 Maryland 304 307 300 911 +47
T17 T20 21 Baylor 304 304 304 912 +48
19 T20 22 Missouri 305 303 309 917 +53
T20 23 23 UNCG 307 313 313 933 +69
Start Finish Player Team ScoresT4 1
Sandy Choi Duke 69 68 68 205 -11
1 T2 Sierra Sims Wake Forest 65 68 73 206 -10
T2 T2 Bronte Law UCLA 70 66 70 206 -10
T4 T2 Alison Lee UCLA 71 66 69 206 -10
6 T5 Regina Plasencia Arkansas 69 70 69 208 -8
T7 T5
Leona Maguire Duke 69 71 68 208 -8
T9 T7 Jessica Peng Miss. State 68 73 69 210 -6
T2 T7 Augusta James NC State 70 66 74 210 -6
T9 T9 Allison Emrey Wake Forest 69 72 70 211 -5
T14 T9 Summar Roachell Arkansas 72 70 69 211 -5
T19 T11 Anna Newell Tennessee 73 71 68 212 -4
T9 T11 Elizabeth Szokol Virginia 73 68 71 212 -4
T17 T13 Gaby Lopez Arkansas 70 73 70 213 -3
T26 T13 Ally McDonald Miss. State 71 74 68 213 -3
T9 T15 Elizabeth Tong Indiana 73 68 73 214 -2
T7 T15 Lauren Diaz-Yi Virginia 69 71 74 214 -2
T17 T15 Samantha Marks Arkansas 72 71 71 214 -2
T9 T15 Laura Sojo UCF 71 70 73 214 -2
T19 T15
Lisa Maguire Duke 74 70 70 214 -2
T14 T20 Monifa Sealy UCF 72 70 74 216 E
T50 T20 A.J. Newell Tennessee 74 75 67 216 E
T19 T22 Maia Schechter North Carolina 69 75 73 217 +1
T50 T22 Briana Mao Virginia 73 76 68 217 +1
T26 T22 Lucia Polo Tennessee 73 72 72 217 +1
T19 T22 Mary Chandler Bryan College of Charleston 73 71 73 217 +1
T38 T26 Lauren Coughlin Virginia 73 74 71 218 +2
T31 T26 Ellen Ceresko Penn State 72 74 72 218 +2
T14 T26 Vivian Tsui NC State 70 72 76 218 +2
T38 T26 Juliet Vongphoumy Maryland 72 75 71 218 +2
T26 T30 Stani Schiavone Mississippi 73 72 74 219 +3
T31 T30 Ashley Holder UCF 72 74 73 219 +3
T50 T30 Ji Eun Baik Miss. State 73 76 70 219 +3
T26 T33 Hayley McNeill Charleston Southern 72 73 75 220 +4
T19 T33 Brooke Ferrell Wisconsin 73 71 76 220 +4
T31 T33 Louise Ridderstrom UCLA 74 72 74 220 +4
T31 T33 Rachael Taylor NC State 73 73 74 220 +4
T31 T33 Rica Tse Miss. State 77 69 74 220 +4
T42 T38 Kimberly Dinh Wisconsin 76 72 73 221 +5
T50 T38 Jess Meek Missouri 76 73 72 221 +5
T31 T38 Kelly Grassel Florida 72 74 75 221 +5
T58 T38 Isabella Skinner Georgia 77 73 71 221 +5
T38 T42 Ayaka Nakayama UCF 73 74 75 222 +6
T26 T42 Jessica Hoang Clemson 77 68 77 222 +6
T58 T42 Camille Chevalier Indiana 75 75 72 222 +6
T19 T42 Amira Alexander Georgia 70 74 78 222 +6
T64 T42 Manuela Carbajo Re Georgia 76 75 71 222 +6
T64 T42 Erynne Lee UCLA 76 75 71 222 +6
T42 T48 Aaren Ziegler Wisconsin 72 76 75 223 +7
T42 T48 Marissa Dodd Wake Forest 74 74 75 223 +7
T42 T48 Louise Olsson College of Charleston 73 75 75 223 +7
T64 T48 Shelby Thompson Charleston Southern 71 80 72 223 +7
T38 T48 Alana Uriell Arkansas 72 75 76 223 +7
T50 T53 Marisa Messana Clemson 76 73 75 224 +8
T42 T53 Emelie Flink Charleston Southern 71 77 76 224 +8
T50 T53 Erica Herr Wake Forest 76 73 75 224 +8
T19 T53 Karolina Vlckova Florida 73 71 80 224 +8
T42 T53 Mariana Sims Wake Forest 74 74 76 224 +8
T42 58 Lauren Salazar Clemson 74 74 77 225 +9
T70 T59 Alexandria Papell Maryland 81 71 74 226 +10
T99 T59 Kristin Powers UNCG 80 76 70 226 +10
T70 T59 Blakesly Warren Tennessee 77 75 74 226 +10
T64 T59 Camilla Hedberg Florida 76 75 75 226 +10
T89 T59 Harang Lee Georgia 78 77 71 226 +10
T58 T59 Hannah Pietila Tennessee 74 76 76 226 +10
T77 T59 Laura Fuenfstueck College of Charleston 76 77 73 226 +10
T84 T59 Ursa Orehek Florida 76 78 72 226 +10
T50 T67 Elizabeth Mallett North Carolina 74 75 78 227 +11
T31 T67 Leslie Cloots North Carolina 75 71 81 227 +11
T89 T67 Taylor Tomlinson Florida 77 78 72 227 +11
T42 T67 Lexi Harkins North Carolina 77 71 79 227 +11
T70 T71 Erin Choi UCLA 75 77 76 228 +12
T89 T71 Giovana Maymon Baylor 76 79 73 228 +12
T84 T71 Gabby Curtis Wisconsin 82 72 74 228 +12
T64 T71 Lindsay McGetrick NC State 77 74 77 228 +12
T50 T71 Rocio Sanchez Lobato Georgia 73 76 79 228 +12
T58 T71 Maggie Beth Byers Baylor 75 75 78 228 +12
T89 T71 Morgan Webber * College of Charleston 76 79 73 228 +12
T70 T71 Fanny Cnops UCF 76 76 76 228 +12
T77 T79
Yi Xiao Duke 82 71 76 229 +13
T84 T79 Hayley Davis Baylor 80 74 75 229 +13
T77 T79 Halley Morell Penn State 76 77 76 229 +13
T99 T82 Becky Klongland * Wisconsin 79 77 74 230 +14
T84 T82 Madisen Bentley Mississippi 77 77 76 230 +14
T89 T82 Katlyn Elliott Penn State 79 76 75 230 +14
T64 T82 CC Buford College of Charleston 72 79 79 230 +14
T77 T82 Sammie Buchanan UNCG 72 81 77 230 +14
T70 T87 Julia Neumann College of Charleston 75 77 79 231 +15
T89 T87 Clara Young Missouri 77 78 76 231 +15
T89 T87 Lyberty Anderson Virginia 76 79 76 231 +15
T89 T87 Kavita Sehmi Maryland 75 80 76 231 +15
T84 T91 Hadas Libman Baylor 74 80 78 232 +16
T99 T91 Aya Johnson Wisconsin 78 78 76 232 +16
T77 T91 Abby Newton Mississippi 73 80 79 232 +16
T70 T94 Alison Hovatter Mississippi 75 77 81 233 +17
T58 T94 Berglind Bjornsdottir UNCG 75 75 83 233 +17
T70 T94 Laura Kraft Missouri 77 75 81 233 +17
T77 T94 Alina Rogers Missouri 75 78 80 233 +17
T58 T94 Cecily Overbey NC State 74 76 83 233 +17
T77 99 Ariana Coyle Diaz Penn State 80 73 81 234 +18
T102 T100 Bryana Nguyen North Carolina 79 78 78 235 +19
T105 T100 Riley Lovorn Clemson 82 76 77 235 +19
T109 T100 Sofia Idoyaga Mississippi 83 77 75 235 +19
T115 103 Logan Chaney Miss. State 82 81 73 236 +20
T107 T104 Victoria Drechsler * College of Charleston 79 80 78 237 +21
T109 T104 McKenzie Talbert * Clemson 78 82 77 237 +21
T105 T106 Savannah Hallman Charleston Southern 80 78 80 238 +22
T89 T106 Natalia Perez Baylor 79 76 83 238 +22
T102 T108 Michelle Butler Missouri 80 77 82 239 +23
T89 T108 Marissa DeCola Indiana 83 72 84 239 +23
118 T108 Sloan Shanahan Clemson 87 77 75 239 +23
T102 T108 Bella Johnson Charleston Southern 81 76 82 239 +23
T107 T108 Taylor Howerton Indiana 80 79 80 239 +23
T111 113 Catherine Herrera Penn State 80 81 80 241 +25
T115 114 Jessica Gregory Maryland 77 86 79 242 +26
T111 115 Alix Kong Indiana 80 81 82 243 +27
T111 T116 Jessica Madsen UNCG 80 81 83 244 +28
119 T116 Stacey Tomlinson * College of Charleston 85 81 78 244 +28
T111 118 Panitta Yusabai Maryland 80 81 84 245 +29
T115 119 Madeline MacClurg UNCG 81 82 91 254 +38
120 -
Irene Jung Duke 94 87 W - -