University of South Carolina Upstate Athletics
Wendy''s Invitational
Spartans Finish 8th at CSU Wendy's Invitational
10/16/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
Charleston, S.C. – The USC Upstate women's golf team turned in six birdies on the day and shot a final round 316 to move up a position on the leaderboard and finished tied for eighth at the CSU Wendy's Invitational Tuesday afternoon at Rivertowne Country Club.
Upstate shaved five strokes off of its total in the second round on Monday to shoot 316 on Tuesday. The Spartans entered the day 13 strokes back of Radford and USC Beaufort and 14 back of Western Carolina. While the Spartans improved their play on Tuesday, Western Carolina slipped, shooting a 330 to fall into a tie with the Spartans. Ten of Upstate 12 countable rounds in the tournament were 80 or under, with nine rounds in the 70s (the Spartans threw out a 79 in the first round).
Upstate had two golfers shoot in the 70s in all three rounds. Rachel Reiling (Littleton, Colo.) led the way. She finished tied for 29th with rounds of 79, 78 and 78 for a 235 total. She had two birdies on the front nine and played the first nine at 1-under-par. Brittany Lowe (Spartanburg, S.C.) had one birdie on the front nine and finished the first nine at 1-over. She finished the tournament tied for 32nd after shooting rounds of 79, 79 and 78 for a 236 total.
It marked just the ninth and 10th times since the inception of the program that a Spartan shot every round in the 70s in a 54-hole tournament. It was just the second time in program history that two players shot all three rounds in the 70s in the same tournament. The first was in Upstate's first season playing on the Division I level in 2007-08 when sisters Richelle and Richia Wedzik posted all three rounds in the 70s at the Sea Trail intercollegiate. Interestingly, the Spartans finished eighth in that tournament as well.
Taylor Barnes (Spartanburg, S.C.) shot an 80 on Tuesday to finish tied for 43rd with a 239 total. Marissa Clontz (Greenville, S.C.) posted the fourth countable score on the day, an 80. She had two birdies in her round and finished the tournament tied for 62nd with a 249 total. Amanda Hall (Tega Cay, S.C.) claimed a tie for 46th with a 240 total. She finished the event by carding an 83 on Tuesday.
Richmond shot a 306 in the final round to take the team championship with an 893 total. The Spiders were followed by Wofford (905), Charleston Southern (906), Appalachian State (917), Armstrong Atlantic State (920), Radford (928), USC Beaufort (932), Upstate (946), Western Carolina (946), Loyola (963), Presbyterian (978), Limestone (986) and The Citadel (1001) on the leaderboard.
"It was a great group effort all three rounds," said Upstate head coach Todd Lawton. "We played the front nine really well. The back nine had a very difficult stretch of holes which made it tough.
"Audrey (assistant coach Audrey Chruch) got them going and kept them inspired throughout the tournament. We had quite a few birdies, chip-ins, a little bit of everything. I think overall, we are all better than we have been. I just think that the players have proven that we are going in the right direction this year. Our next step is to average all of the countable scores in the 70s."
Richmond's Tracy Martin shot a final round 72 to win the individual championship by two strokes. She finished with a 215 total.
Upstate made history in the first round of the tournament on Monday morning. All five Spartans shot in the 70s for the first time in program history.
