PINEHURST, N.C. – Sophomore Grace Choi shot a career-low 72 on Tuesday to lead the Georgia State women’s golf team to a 12th place finish at the Pinehurst Challenge. The Panthers shot a final round 303 at Pinehurst No. 1, shooting 27-over for the 54-hole event.
Choi made three birdies and three bogeys during the final round to finish the two-day event at 11-over par and tied for 66th. It marked a career-low round and came at the right time as the Panthers finished the day with just four players in the line-up following an injury to freshman Petra Duran who had to withdraw midway through the round.
“Grace really stepped up today and played some great golf for us,” head coach Cathy Mant said. “The way it played out, we needed her round to count with the injury to Petra. She is playing with confidence right now and it has led to some nice scores.”
Freshman Chloe Howard finished with a third-straight top 30 finish following a final round 2-over 74 that left her at 3-over for the event. Howard tied for 30th after making three birdies during Tuesday’s round.
Sophomore Harmanprit Kaur shot a 78 on Tuesday to finish the event at 8-over par and tied for 56th, while junior Jemima Gregson rounded out the line-up with a 79 to tie for 66th at 11-over par.
East Carolina shot a final round 7-under 281 to win the event at 17-under par. Coastal Carolina came in second play at 9-under par, with Old Dominion placing third at 5-under. Maryland came in fourth place at 1-under par, with first-round leader North Florida rounding out the top five at 4-over par.
Jacksonville State’s Valentina Giraldo earned low medalist honors at 8-under par following a final round 72. Coastal Carolina’s Malene Krolboll Hansen finished second at 7-under par, with Towson’s Alix Lowe and Jacksonville’s Michelle Forsland tying for third at 6-under par. East Carolina teammates Carley Cox and Dorthea Forbridg tied for fifth at 5-under par.
Georgia State will return to the course for the FIU Pat Bradley Classic in Lakewood Ranch, Fla., Oct. 22-24.