March 23, 2008
Athens, Ga. - The Auburn women's golf team finished seventh at the 36th annual Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic after shooting 20-over 308 on Sunday. Three Tigers earned top 25 finishes, led by sophomore Candace Schepperle in seventh.
C. Schepperle started the day off with back-to-back birdies on seven and eight and finished the back nine with another birdie and found herself at 1-under 71. She opened the front nine with a birdie but a double bogey on two put her back at even par. She had consecutive bogeys on three and four which left her at 2-over 74 for the day. She ended up tied for seventh, a season best, with a three round score of 72-78-74--224.
Freshman Cydney Clanton turned in her fifth top 10 finish of the season and second straight as she tied for 10th (76-73-76--225). Clanton had a tough time on the back nine as she had three bogeys and a double. She finished the back nine 3-over 75 and another bogey on five put her at 4-over 76 for the day.
Senior Margaret Shirley turned in her best finish of the season as she improved 19 places and finished tied for 22nd with a three round score of 79-78-74--231. Shirley found herself 1-over 73 after the back nine thanks to birdies on 15 and 18. However, bogeys on two and four put her at 3-over, but she gained a stroke with a birdie on five to finish at 2-over 74.
Competing as an individual, freshman Sarah Thead tied for 50th (75-84-78--237), while senior Abigale Schepperle tied for 77th (77-82-84--243). Junior Mariana Macias took 84th (78-83-85--246).
It was an exciting finish Classic at the University of Georgia Golf Course, as the Georgia women's golf team captured the title over sixth-ranked Purdue in a playoff. Tied with a three-day total of 900 upon completion of regular play with the Boilermakers, Georgia recorded four pars on the second playoff hole to win its 13th title in its home-course tournament.
Christel Boeljon and Maria Hernandez shot 3-under par and 4-under par for the day, respectively, to end up in a tie for the overall lead at 2-over 218s. Duke's Amanda Blumenherst and Alabama's Kathleen Ekey tied for third.
Auburn will have four days off before it returns to the links on March 28-30 at the Bryan National Collegiate in Brown Summit, N.C.