STOCKBRIDGE, Ga. – Georgia State senior Maria Palacios made a birdie on the first playoff hole to earn low medalist honors of the 21st annual John Kirk Panther Intercollegiate at Eagle’s Landing Country Club on Tuesday afternoon. She led the Panthers to a second place finish.
Palacios shot a final-round 72 to tie with Campbell’s Kaylin Yost and Georgia’s Amira Alexander at 2-under par, the only three golfers to break par for the 54-hole event. In the playoff, Palacios drained a birdie putt before Yost and Alexander were able to finish. “I am so proud that Maria was able to get the win in front of our family and friends,” head coach Cathy Mant said. “She has had a great senior year and this is the perfect way to end the regular season.
We tip our cap to Campbell as they played really great golf all week. Obviously we would have liked to have won, but we played well and I think we gave ourselves some momentum heading into the conference tournament in two weeks.
Georgia State shot a final-round 303 to finish the event 27-over. Junior Lauren Court shot a final-round 75 to finish alone in seventh place at 5-over. Senior Laura Sanchez also shot a final-round 75 and finished tied for 15th at 9-over.
Sophomore Julie Lied shot a 9-over 81 to finish at 15-over and tied for 29th while senior Melissa Siviter shot a 10-over 82 to finish 25-over and tied for 56th. Senior Solveig Helgesen along with freshmen Solene LeCoz and Jooeun Bae competed as individuals for the Panthers.
LeCoz shot a final-round 81 to finish at 18-over and tied for 39th while Bae finishing tied for 49th at 21-over following a final-round 75. Helgesen rounded out the line-up at 28-over par and tied for 67th in the 90-player field following a final-round 80.
Georgia State will return to the course for the Sun Belt Conference Championship at Steelwood Country Club in Loxley, Ala., April 14-16.