OPELIKA, Ala. – The University of South Alabama women's golf team finished 16th Wednesday in the NCAA Auburn Regional at the Saugahatchee Country Club. The Jaguars shot a combined 300 (+12) on the final day of competition and ended with a 54-hole score of 910 (+46) in the program's first-ever NCAA Regionals appearance.  
    
Sophomore Siti Shaari led USA in the final round with a 1-over-par 73, while senior MacKenzie Peyton carded three birdies on her way to a 2-over-par 74 total.

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Event (Host): 2019 NCAA Auburn Regional (Auburn)
Dates: May 6-8 (Monday-Wednesday)
Format: 54 holes (18/18/18)
Start Time: 8 a.m.  
Course: Saugahatchee Country Club (par 72, 6,371 yds)
Live Results
 
TEAM SCORES
1) Vanderbilt 287-293-280—860 (-4); 2) Florida State 291-289-283—863 (-1); 3) Duke 290-287-291—868 (+4); 4) Virginia 296-283-294—873 (+9); 5) Auburn 299-290-285—874 (+10); 6) Tennessee 294-295-287—876 (+12); 7) Maryland 294-297-288—879 (+15); 8) East Carolina 291-295-295—881 (+17); 9) Furman 299-294-293—886 (+22); 10) Alabama 300-303-292—895 (+31); 11) Houston 306-293-299—898 (+34); 12) California 304-300-296—900 (+36); 13) Clemson 307-298-299—904 (+40); 14) Kennesaw State 308-302-295—905 (+41); 15) Denver 304-304-301—909 (+45); 16) South Alabama 310-300-300—910 (+46); 17) Murray State 312-298-306—916 (+52); 18) Albany 309-304-304—917 (+53)

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
1) Auston Kim, Vanderbilt, 70-70-70—210 (-6); 2) Linette Holmslykke, Murray State, 75-65-71—211 (-5); T3) Virunpat Olankitkunchai, Maryland, 70-70-73—213 (-3); T3) Morgan Baxendale, Vanderbilt, 75-71-67—213 (-3); T3) Jaravee Boonchant, Duke, 72-71-70—213 (-3); T6) Gina Kim, Duke, 73-70-71—214 (-2); T6) Amanda Doherty, Florida State, 71-70-73—214 (-2); T8) Angelica Moresco, Alabama, 75-70-70—215 (-1); T8) Elena Hualde, Auburn, 75-71-69—215 (-1); T8) Anna Redding, Virginia, 71-76-68—215 (-1)

SOUTH ALABAMA SCORES
T49) Julie Hovland, 76-72-76—224 (+8); T51) Siti Shaari, 76-76-73—225 (+9); T67) MacKenzie Peyton, 79-76-74—229 (+13); T79) Caroline Berge, 79-76-78—233 (+17); 96) Lexi Worrell, 92-87-77—256 (+40)

TEE SHOTS
-Julie Hovland's 2.92 (-1) scoring average on par-3s ties for eighth in the field, while fellow sophomore Caroline Berge's 3.00 (E) ranks among the top 20. Hovland tied for seventh overall with 10 birdies and her 4.13 (+4) par-4 average was the best on the team. She finishes the season with the sixth-best scoring average in the Sun Belt, 74.62.
-Shaari carded four of her eight birdies Wednesday, going back-to-back on the final two holes, and held a 5.00 (E) par-5 average. Her 74.14 season scoring average led the team and ranked fourth in the conference.
-Berge averaged 5.25 (+3) on par-5 holes and played 30 holes at even-par. The sophomore improved her average from 77.36 to 76.07 this year.
-Peyton led the Jaguars in par-5 scoring (4.92, -1) and holes played at even-par (33). She averaged 3.17 (+2) on par-3 holes. Her season scoring average was 76.42, while her career average is 77.17.
-Lexi Worrell shot her best round of the tournament Wednesday, a 5-over-par 77. The senior held a 78.76 average in her final season.  
-USA ends its season with five top-five finishes (including two wins) in 10 events. The Jaguars claimed the Sun Belt Conference title for the second time—the first since 1997—to qualify for the first NCAA regional appearance in program history. The team held a 299.97 scoring average, marking the first time USA women's golf has averaged below 300 in a season.

THEY SAID IT
Head Coach Matt Luther 

On the experience gained from participating in the NCAA Regionals… "It's great. It's the first time we've ever been, so it's great for our seniors to get to do that once and for our underclassmen to get to see it and start to get an understanding of what that level of golf is like. That's obviously where we want to be."

On building on this season's success… "This is what we work for. The process doesn't change, but starting to see the outcomes change has been great. We've got a good core of sophomores who will be becoming juniors and some new players coming next year. Hopefully we can keep this thing rolling."

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSouth_JAGS. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
 
Join the Chip In Club, the women's golf specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. All donations to the Chip In Club go directly to support the South Alabama women's golf program. For more information on how you can join visit: jaguarathleticfund.com/chipinclub.

—USA—