MOBILE, Ala. – The ULM women's golf team posted its best round of the three-day USA Intercollegiate Monday with a 2-under-par 286 to finish in third place at RTJ Golf Trail-Crossings Course. It marked a six-shot improvement over Saturday's first round score and a 14-stroke improvement over Sunday's second round.
"It was a great round today by our girls," ULM golf assistant coach Lana Hodge said. "They all fought hard to have a great finish. We started to have more putts fall today, which is exciting moving forward. Two of our starting five finished with birdies on 18, which propelled us into a top-three finish."
Western Kentucky won the team championship with a 6-under-par 858. South Alabama's Julie Hovland was the individual medalist with a 12-under-par 204.
Individually, sophomore Chantal Dueringer shot her second-consecutive 2-under-par 70 to tie for third place at 3-under-par 213 (73-70-70). Dueringer tallied six birdies on the round, with three each on the front nine and back nine. She birdied back-to-back holes twice, doing so on the par-4 first and par-3 second and again at the par-4 11th and 12th holes. Dueringer capped her first tournament as a Warhawk with a birdie on the par-4 18th. She also earned nine pars on the day.
Junior Jahaanvie Walia tied for 14th place after shooting even-par 72 Monday. She finished with a 4-over-par 220 (72-76-72) for the tournament. Walia picked up four birdies on Monday, scoring in the red on the first hole, the par-4 seventh, the par-5 13th and the par-3 14th. She added 11 pars in the round.
Freshman Line Petersen tied for 18th place with a 6-over-par 222 (73-76-73). Petersen closed Monday's final round with a 1-over-par 73. Petersen was steady for much of the day, earning a birdie on the par-4 third and another on the par-4 11th. She had 13 pars, including seven consecutive pars to close the round.
Senior Shani White had her best round of the weekend with a 1-under-par 71 to close in a tie for 20th at a 7-over-par 223 (74-78-71). White knocked down five birdies in the final round, coming through on three par-5 holes in the fourth, sixth and 13th. She also birdied on the par-4 15th and 18th holes. White tallied nine pars for the round.
"Chantal and Shani both had under-par rounds," Hodge said. "They both seemed to feel very comfortable with their swings today, allowing them to have plenty of birdie opportunities."
Junior Eva Bjornsdottir, competing as an individual, shot a final-round 78 to finish the tournament with a 227 (76-73-78).
Freshman Charlotte Fourdraine, competing in her first collegiate tournament, posted her best round of the tournament with a 4-over-par 76 on Monday, finishing with a 234 (80-78-76).
"Out of our starting five, four hit at least 14 greens in regulation, which is awesome," Hodge said. "Going forward, we will be spending more time on the putting green to hopefully convert more birdie opportunities."
The women's golf team is back in action Sept. 21-22 at the Hoover Invitational in Hoover, Alabama.
