Oct. 5, 2008
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The No. 14 Auburn's women's golf team finished with a final round 9-over-297 on the UNC Finley Golf Course in Chapel Hill, N.C., to bring in a fifth-place finish Sunday at the Lady Tar Heel Invitational. Cydney Clanton (78-70-70--218) led the Tigers with a fourth-place finish individually.
Three of the top four teams from the second round didn't falter Sunday as No. 23 Wake Forest claimed the team championship with a 291--876. Third-ranked North Carolina fired a 292--888 for second and No. 6 Vanderbilt placed third at 290--892. No. 8 Virginia finished fourth on a 297--893, followed by Auburn (297--901), Texas A&M (304--908), Ohio State (297--909), No. Louisville (310--911), Kent State (304--912) and No. 21 Michigan State (301--915) to finish out the top 10.
Central Florida placed 11th at 302--917 and No. 19 South Carolina was 12th on a 309--926. Kentucky and NC State tied for 13th at 307--927 and 313--927, respectively, followed by No. 4 Tulsa (306--936), No. 15 Florida State (315--941) and North Carolina-Greensboro (321--645) to round out the 18-team tournament field.
Clanton, a sophomore All-American, rebounded from a rough 6-over-78 first round to post back-to-back 2-under-70s to finish in a three-way tie for fourth, only two shots back from the titlists. Clanton picked up two birdies on the back nine and added another on the front side.
Candance Schepperle knocked in five birdies en route to a 3-under-69, the lowest final round score of any player on Sunday. Entering the day tied for 30th after posting an 8-over-80 on Saturday, Schepperle bounced back to finish ninth (72-80-69--221).
Freshman Patricia Sanz placed among the top 50 at 38th with a 78-70-81--229. Sanz's lone birdie of the day was on the par-4 No. 1.
Sarah Thead wrapped up play by registering a 5-over-77, knocking in birdies on Nos. 14 and 16. She finished tied for 53rd (80-76-77--233). Mariana Macias was 90th at 85-88-87--260.
The Tigers return to action Oct. 25-27 to host The Derby Invitational at the AU Club in Auburn, Ala.