Results

MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama women's golf team won the Tchefuncta Invitational at Tchefuncta Country Club Feb. 21-22 in Covington, La.

South Alabama (302-288-293) finished with a three-round total of 883 to capture their first win of the season, and the first since winning the Bama Beach Bash March 19-21 last season. Siti Shaari (73-72-70) earned medalist honors with a 3-over par total of 216 after winning a six-hole playoff at TCC's 18th hole.

UP NEXT
South Alabama will return to action March 7-8 at the UNF Collegiate in Jacksonville, Fla. 

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Event (Host): Tchefuncta Invitational (Hosted by South Alabama)
Dates: Feb. 21-22 (Monday – Tuesday)
Format: 54 holes (36/18)
Course: Tchefuncta Country Club (Covington, La.)
Yardage:  6,044 yards
Par:  71
 
TEAM SCORES
1) South Alabama, 302-288-293—883;  2) Southern Miss, 296-306-294—896; 3) Incarnate Word, 306-293-301—900;  4) Little Rock, 303-301-299—903;  5) ULM, 305-305-303—913;  6) UAB, 310-307-305—922;  7) Toledo, 309-311-315—935 8) UT Arlington, 312-316-319—947;  9) Murray State, 327-321-307--955

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
1) Siti Shaari, USA, 73-73-70—216 (+3);  2) Katja Mueller, LR, 72-74-70—216 (+3); T3) Malia Uyeshiro, USA, 75-73-72—220;  T3) Hannah Cash, ICU, 74-71-75—220;  T5) Cassidy Lambert, USA, 75-74-73—222;  T5) Yedam Lee, Toledo, 74-75-73—222;  T7) Natnicha Chompitakdacha, USM, 77-76-70—223;  T7) Merche Corbacho, USM, 68-77-78—223;  T9) Ellen Nicholas, USM, ICU, 74-76-75—225;  T9) Madigan Murray, UTA, 74-76-75—225;  T9) Chantal Dueringer, ULM, 77-75-73--225

SOUTH ALABAMA SCORES
1) Siti Shaari, 73-73-70—216;  T3) Malia Uyeshiro, 75-73-72—220;  T5) Cassidy Lambert, 75-74-73—222;  T13) Carlota Garcia*, 77-75-75—227;  T13) Catharina Lohoff, 79-68-80—227;  T21) Belinda May*, 79-78-74—231;  53) Julie Hovland, A-81-78—XX
* - denotes played as individual

TEE SHOTS
- The tournament win marked the Jaguars' first since capturing the Bama Beach Bash March 19-21 last season in Gulf Shores, Ala.
- Shaari won the six-hole playoff with a par on TCC's 18th hole.
- Uyeshiro earned a career-best finish (T-3rd) and posted the lowest three-round total (220) of her career.
- Lambert recorded a career-best finish (T-5th).
- Lohoff carded a career-low 3-under par 68 in round two, which ranks as the third-lowest round by a Jaguar this season.
- Uyeshiro tied for the tournament lead in par 3 scoring after playing par threes at TCC at an even par average.
- Garcia and Shaari each played par threes at 2-over par for the tournament with a stroke average of 3.17.
- Shaari ranked second in the event in par-four scoring with a 1-over par average of 4.03.
- Lohoff and Shaari ranked tied for fourth among the field in birdies (8) for the tournament.
- Garcia finished tied for fourth among the field in pars (37) in three rounds 

QUOTES
Head Coach Matt Luther 
- On the tournament win:
"It was great the way we won it. Two freshmen finished in the top five, which is awesome, and did it just playing solid. It wasn't like someone played a fluky good round, it was three solid rounds from both freshmen. Siti (Shaari) winning the tournament like that, that's how you want to win golf tournaments as a team."

- On Shaari's six-hole playoff:
"They played holes 13 and 18 over and over, right by the clubhouse, and it was on the 18th green that she won it. It was super fun to watch – a lot of eight-foot par putts to keep it going, stuff like that. Siti got a couple of bad breaks in the playoff. She hit her ball in a hole on the third hole, and was fortunate to get it back into the fairway and make par. She got stuck behind a tree on the first playoff hole and wiggled her way out of trouble to save par. It was six holes, and the player from Little Rock blinked first."

- On the team's course management:
"It's a really quirky golf course. It's super short and really difficult around the greens, which we don't see that much. I was a little worried going in that we were going to get some short game truth serum, and if it isn't together then we would get exposed. But we didn't really, which is great. We managed the stuff around the greens well. We made a couple of big numbers, but overall we played well."

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.