VICTORIA, Texas - Warhawk Ali Lucas defeated defending
individual champion Krista Puisite of Texas State on the second hole of a
sudden death playoff Monday afternoon to win the Claud Jacobs Challenge at
Victoria Country Club. She led the ULM women's golf team to a fourth place finish
overall, totaling 940 over three rounds on the par-72, 5,936 yard track.
The native of Crowley, La., shot a combined 224 (75-73-76)
to win the first event of her collegiate career. It is the first individual
championship a Warhawk has claimed since the fall of 2009, when former standout
Angela Drane won back-to-back titles at the Gamecock Classic and ORU Shootout.
Lucas steadily climbed the leaderboard over the past two
days, moving from fourth place following the first round to second entering the
final 18 holes. She fired a four-over-par 76 to force the sudden death playoff
with first day leader Puisite after being on track for the outright win, a double
bogey on the par-4 17th hole derailing her.
ULM's Jennifer Park also earned a top-10 result with a two-over-par
74 in the final round to total 229 (76-79-74) and tie for ninth overall. It is
Park's fourth top-10 finish in the first five events of her collegiate career.
The Warhawks compiled a 308 for the tournament's second
lowest round of the day and improved six strokes from yesterday afternoon's
score. ULM surged from seventh place to a top-five finish in a competitive field
which included four other top-100 ranked teams.
Tournament host Texas State claimed the team title for the
fourth-straight year after shooting a 10-over-par 298 for 901 total
(307-296-298). Missouri and Iowa both tied for second place with 934 total, and
Sam Houston State completed the top-five with 944 total.
Lina Lagergren and Emily Stratton each carded 79 to shoot
243 and 244 and tie for 39th and 41st, respectively.
Kathy Sterling ended with an 80 for a combined 245 to tie for 44th.
ULM travels to Sun Belt Conference member South Alabama's
USA Jaguar Invitational next Monday and Tuesday in Mobile, Ala.
Team Standings:
1. Texas State 307-296-298-901, T2. Missouri 311-313-310-934, T2. Iowa 309-312-313-934,
4. ULM 318-314-308-940, 5. Sam
Houston State 315-314-315-944, 6. Lamar 319-308-320-947, 7. Toledo 325-328-309-962,
8. Central Arkansas 320-327-319-966, 9. McNeese State 339-319-309-967, 10.
Houston Baptist 326-323-322-971, 11. Western Illinois 334-330-314-978, 12. Ball
State 331-321-331-983, 13. Ohio 342-323-320-985, 14. Stephen F. Austin 337-340-317-994,
15. Eastern Kentucky 329-336-334-999, 16. Texas-Pan American 336-337-330-1003
Individual Standings:
T1. Ali Lucas* (ULM) 75-73-76-224, T1.
Krista Puisite (Texas State) 77-70-77-224, T3. Gabby de Reuck (Texas State) 77-75-73-225,
T3. Iman Nordin (Texas State) 77-77-71-225, T5. Shelby Hardy (Sam Houston
State) 77-73-76-226, T5. Sarah Nicholas (Lamar) 79-72-75-226
ULM Individuals:
T1. Ali Lucas 75-73-76-224, T9. Jennifer Park 76-79-74-229, T39. Lina Lagergren
83-81-79-243, T41. Emily Stratton 84-81-79-244, T44. Kathy Sterling 84-81-80-245
* - Denotes sudden death playoff winner
