Final resultsPhoto galleryMOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama women's golf team turned in a three-round season low after shooting a 299 in Wednesday's final round to earn a runner-up finish at the 14th Annual USA Women's Invitational at Azalea City Golf Club.
USA (299-292-299) finished with a three-round team total of 890, bettering its previous season low of 923 and earning its best finish of the season, to take second place at its annual tournament.
"It was a good week," head coach Matt Luther said. "It was our three lowest rounds of the year. Each round we were under 300, and we hadn't shot under 300 at all this season. Everyone is doing everything a little better, and I'm really happy with where we're going this spring. The girls are buying into the concepts and working at it, and the results are starting to show. We just need to keep doing what we're doing. We have some things to address, obviously, but we definitely have some things that are working that we need to keep doing. We're just going to keep trying to get better every week."
Kaeli Jones (75-72-73) finished tied for fifth place, a career-best finish for the sophomore, after a three-round score of 220. Jones played her final two rounds at a combined 1-over par after turning in a 1-over par 73 in round three and an even-par finish in Monday's second round.
"It was one of my best performances since I have been at South Alabama," Jones said. "I'm really happy about it. It went really well. My iron shots were on the pin all day. I missed a lot of birdie putts, but pars work. Our goal as a team was to get under 300 every round, and we did that. It's good for Caroline (Beebe) since she's a senior. We just went out there and played hard this tournament."
Jones played her first five holes in Tuesday's final round at 1-under par after a birdie at Azalea City's par-five second, but made the turn at 1-over 37 following bogeys at the par-five sixth and par-four ninth. The Sumterville, Fla., native also made bogey at the par-four 12th, following two pars to open her final nine holes, but an equalizing birdie at the par-five 15th hole and three consecutive pars to finish left her at even par on the back nine.
Carianne Wright (81-71-74) and Madison Connell (73-74-79) each tied for 11th with a three-round total of 226. Wright followed her second-round 1-under par 71 with a 3-over 74 in the final round. Connell also carded a career-low three-round score after finishing the third round with a 7-over 79. Caroline Beebe (76-75-76) turned in her lowest three-round score of the season with 227 after a 4-over par 76 in the final round. Elisa Axelsen (75-77-76) finished in 19th place with a three-round score of 228, which also marked her lowest three-round total of the season.
MacKenzie Peyton (76-74-81) tied for 23rd place with a three-round score of 231, also the lowest of her Jaguar career. Jordan Daniel (76-78-78) tied for 25th in her first tournament at USA with a three-round total of 232. Lexi Worrell (79-76-77) turned in a three-round score of 232, which also marked her lowest tournament as a Jaguar.
Chattanooga (292-299-292), which began the day tied with USA for first place, won the tournament with a three-round team total of 883 after shooting 292 in the final round. UAB's Sydney Snodgrass (70-71-72) won individual medalist honors with a three-round, 3-under par total of 213.
South Alabama will return to action March 7-8 when it travels to Hattiesburg, Miss., to compete in the Lady Eagle Invitational, hosted by Southern Mississippi.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
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