Oct. 4, 2016
CHARLESTON, S.C. ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" Junior Michaela Owen shot under par all three rounds to lead the Auburn women's golf team to a seventh-place finish at the Cougar Classic, which wrapped up Tuesday at Yeamans Hall Club.
Owen posted scores of 68-71-71=210 (-6) to finish in seventh place, her second career top-10 finish and first in a 54-hole event. She became the first Auburn player to score under par in all three rounds of a tournament since Marta Sanz at the 2014 Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate, and she is just the third player to accomplish the feat for Auburn since 2007.
Starting on the fourth hole in Tuesday's round, she birdied two of her first six holes, but fell back to 1-over after bogeys at 11 and 14. Owen would then birdie 17 and 18, then make three straight pars to close out her tournament.
As a team, Auburn finished in a tie for seventh place with South Carolina at 869 (+5). The Tigers shot a 5-over-par 293 in the final round, moving up one spot from its eighth-place standing after Monday's round. Auburn's score marked a 25-shot improvement from its total in the same event a year ago.
Auburn took advantage of scoring conditions on the par 5s, posting an aggregate 17-under on the longer holes during the week. The Tigers carded 44 birdies and three eagles for the tournament.
Freshman Kayley Marschke her second straight round of 73, giving her a 220 (+4) for the week to tie for 45th place. She recorded a team-best five birdies on the day. Junior Kelli Murphy tied for 34th place after a final-round 75 to finish at 3-over for the week. And freshman Elena Hualde carded a final-round 74 to finish one stroke back of Murphy at 221 (+5) and tied for 50th.
North Carolina won the event with a tournament-record 838 (-26), six shots ahead of Furman (-18). UNC's Kelly Whaley was the individual medalist at 205 (-11) with South Carolina's Katelyn Dambaugh taking runner-up honors at 206 (-10).
Auburn returns to action next week at the Pinehurst Challenge. The tournament runs Monday and Tuesday at Pinehurst No. 1 in Pinehurst, N.C.
For the latest on Auburn women's golf, visit AuburnTigers.com and follow on social media via Twitter and Instagram (@AuburnWGolf) and Facebook (/AuburnWGolf).
Final results from the Cougar Classic, hosted by College of Charleston at Yeamans Hall Club (par 72, 6,224 yards) in Charleston, S.C.
Auburn Individuals
7. Michaela Owen ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 68-71-71=210 (-6)
T34. Kelli Murphy ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 69-75-75=219 (+3)
T45. Kayley Marschke ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 74-73-73=220 (+4)
T50. Elena Hualde ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 74-73-74=221 (+5)
97. Mai Dechathipat ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 73-76-82=231 (+15)
Team Standings
1. North Carolina ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 838 (-26)
2. Furman ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 846 (-18)
3. Wake Forest ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 851 (-13)
4. Florida State ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 855 (-9)
5. UCF ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 856 (-8)
6. Michigan ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 863 (-1)
T7. Auburn ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 869 (+5)
T7. South Carolina ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 869 (+5)
9. Arkansas ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 871 (+7)
10. Louisville ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 872 (+8)
11. Chattanooga ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 874 (+10)
12. Wisconsin ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 877 (+13)
13. Maryland ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 880 (+16)
T14. NC State ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 881 (+17)
T14. Mississippi State ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 881 (+17)
16. Penn State ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 882 (+18)
17. Clemson ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 889 (+25)
18. Coastal Carolina ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 890 (+26)
T19. College of Charleston ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 897 (+33)
T19. Indiana ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 897 (+33)
21. Charleston Southern ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 900 (+36)