April 7, 2018
BROWNS SUMMIT, N.C. ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" Fighting rain, wind, cold and a tough golf course throughout Saturday, the 22nd-ranked Auburn women's golf team found itself in contention for a tournament title before finishing tied for third at the Bryan National Collegiate.
The Tigers posted a score of 308 (+20) Saturday to finish at 897 (+33) for the week, tied with North Carolina and nine shots back of tournament champion and host Wake Forest. Auburn finished ahead of eight top-50 teams in the event.
Low numbers were hard to come by as only two players finished under par Saturday and just one broke par for the week; the third-round scoring average for the field was 79.55.
"Weather conditions were brutal today with north wind, rain and 42 degrees," Auburn head coach Melissa Luellen said. "Snow is in the forecast for tonight. I am so proud of the fight. We were in it 'til the end. I am very proud of the effort of this group. It just shows how competitive every player is on this team."
Sophomore Kayley Marschke continued her strong play this spring, earning her best finish in a full-field team event with a tie for fifth place. It was her third overall top-20 finish this season to go along with a win at the Lake Oconee Individual Championship in February and a tie for 12th at last month's Evans Derby Experience. Marschke posted a final-round 75 (+3) to finish at 220 (+4) for the week and in a three-way tie for fifth place.
Freshman Julie McCarthy earned her first top-10 finish as an Auburn Tiger, tying for 10th place at 223 (+7). The Ireland native, accustomed to playing in inclement weather, also finished with a 75 (+3) in Saturday's final round.
Mychael O'Berry, another freshman, tied for 37th at 229 (+13). Senior Kelli Murphy finished in a tie for 40th, and sophomore Elena Hualde tied for 47th.
Tournament host Wake Forest claimed the title at 888 (+24), five shots ahead of Furman (+29) and nine ahead of Auburn and North Carolina. Wake's Jennifer Kupcho claimed individual medalist honors at 1-under, the only player in the field to finish under par.
The postseason is next for Auburn, beginning with the SEC Championship in two weeks. A new format awaits the Tigers and the rest of the league as the tournament expands to five days ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" three rounds of stroke play, followed by an eight-team match play bracket. Play begins Wednesday, April 18, at Greystone Golf & Country Club in Birmingham.
For the latest on Auburn women's golf, follow @AuburnWGolf on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Final results from the Bryan National Collegiate, hosted by Wake Forest and UNCG at the Bryan Park Champions Course (par 72, 6,386 yards) in Browns Summit, N.C.:
Final Team Standings
1. Wake Forest ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 888 (+24)
2. Furman ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 893 (+29)
T3. Auburn ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 897 (+33)
T3. North Carolina - 897 (+33)
5. South Carolina ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 898 (+34)
6. NC State ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 899 (+35)
7. Tennessee ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 906 (+42)
8. Michigan ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 910 (+46)
9. Clemson ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 915 (+51)
10. Miami ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 917 (+53)
11. Virginia ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 921 (+57)
12. UCF ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 922 (+58)
13. Notre Dame ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 924 (+60)
14. Kentucky ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 925 (+61)
15. Colorado State ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 930 (+66)
16. Charlotte ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 941 (+77)
17. Georgetown ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 944 (+80)
Auburn Individuals
T5. Kayley Marschke ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 72-73-75=220 (+4)
T10. Julie McCarthy ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 76-72-75=223 (+7)
T37. Mychael O'Berry ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 74-78-77=229 (+13)
T40. Kelli Murphy ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 75-74-81=230 (+14)
T47. Elena Hualde ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 74-75-83=232 (+16)