HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC -- In the picturesque setting of Hilton Head Island, the USC Upstate Women's golf team rose to the top once again, maintaining their dominance in the Low Country Intercollegiate hosted by Wofford. Despite stiff competition, including the weather, the Spartans caught fire in the final two rounds and ascended over a half-dozen spots to finish third overall.
The "Thai Trio" led the charge, comprising Suwarin Yord-in, Supatta Puttanavarat, and Preaw Nontarux, all of whom finished in the top ten. Yord-in's remarkable surge, culminating in the lowest score (70) of the final round, propelled her nearly 30 spots up the leaderboard to secure a 7th place finish. Puttanavarat and Nontarux, equally impressive, finished in a tie for eighth place. Yord-in's performance marked her third top-10 finish, including a notable second-place finish at the Moss Creek Course.
The collective effort was evident in their execution across all course length categories, including par-3s, 4s, and 5s, where they ranked in the top seven among the 17-team field. Additionally, they secured the fourth-most birdies in the tournament, tallying an impressive total of 24. Notably, Puttanavarat's stellar performance on par 3s, where she tied with Longwood's Annabelle Jennings for the best score across all rounds, was noteworthy.
Head Coach Todd Lawton said, "This was a great test. Today, we passed. Overall, this course is one of the toughest we play all year. To finish, as we did, says a lot about their patience and ability to follow through with each shot. Mudmee's (Yord-in) 70 is among the best rounds I've ever seen. Preaw and Friend (Puttanavarat) were right there all along as well. This was a strong field that motivated us to work harder."
Individual contributions were equally significant to the Spartan's success, with Alexis Reili highlighted by a birdie on the fifth hole during the second round. Madison Dixon's improvement in each round further helped keep the Spartans near the top throughout the intercollegiate.
"Madison played her last eight holes even par, which is not lost on our overall team score. We needed that to complete a solid round and move up the leaderboard," said Lawton.
The triumph at Hilton Head Island further adds to the USC Upstate Women's golf team ethos when competing in events hosted by Wofford. Since 2016, their participation in such events has yielded an impressive eight top-three finishes out of 10 tournaments. This remarkable run also includes the coveted team title at the 2022 Terrier Intercollegiate, reaffirming their status as formidable contenders in collegiate golf.
Overall, East Tennessee State won the Low Country Intercollegiate shooting 299-303-300-902. Hannah Lydic of Richmond took home the individual title by carding 76-72-73-221.
Full Results Here
Up Next for the Spartans
USC Upstate women's golf heads to Panama City to compete in the Bay Point Classic on March 21-24.
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