The Georgia women’s team collected its second victory of the Fall season, successfully defending its title in the Windy City Championship.
The Lady Bulldogs, who shared the title last year, won outright this time, finishing with a 10-under 854 total for a 4-shot victory over Stanford and five over USC. Bailey Tardy, a sophomore from Peachtree Corners, took second individually after capturing medalist honors last year as a freshman.
Georgia shot 6-under 282 in each of the first two rounds to lead by four after 36 holes, and stayed ahead the final day with a 290 total. Tardy led after scores of 66-69, but finished second by a shot at 9-under 207 after closing with a 72.
Harang Lee and Jillian Hollis tied for 10th for the Lady Bulldogs at 215, with Roswell sophomore Rinko Mitsunaga T16 at 217.
Georgia, which won its season-opening Cardinal Kickoff at Berkeley Hills in Duluth, shot a team record 19-under 845 to finish fourth against a strong field in the ANNIKA Intercollegiate at Reunion Resort in Orlando. The Lady Bulldogs finished five behind USC, posting scores of 278-279-288.
Tardy was tied for the 36-hole lead at 133 after scores of 67 and 66 before closing with a 74 to tie for third at 207, two behind the winner. Mitsunaga shot 70-71-71—212 to tie for 17th at 212, with Hollis T21 at 213. Mary Ellen Shuman, a senior from St. Simons Island, contributed scores of 72 and 71 the final two days.
In other Georgia Lady Bulldogs news:
Former UGA standout Emilie Burger Meason of Hoschton has joined the team as a volunteer assistant. Meason’s senior season in 2013 was the first for Josh Brewer as the UGA head coach.
Georgia was named as a host team for the 2017 NCAA Regionals, which will be played May 8-10. The Regional was scheduled to be played in North Carolina, but the NCAA has taken all its events out of the state in response to a discriminatory piece of legislation.
Augusta scored back-to-back fourth place finishes after tying for third in its fall opener in the Cardinal Kickoff.
The Lady Jaguars shot 899 to take fourth in a tournament hosted by Texas Tech. Senior Eunice Yi of Evans opened with a 71 and tied for 31st at 228. Senior Jessica Haigwood of Roswell shot 232 and tied for 39th.
Augusta shot a tournament-best 10-under 278 in the Lady Paladin Invitational at Furman and finished fourth at 2-over 866, 13 behind Texas. Yi was low for the Lady Jaguars, tying for fifth with scores of 75-68-71—214, four behind the winner. Haigwood opened with a 72 and finished with a 223 total.
Mercer opened its season in Myrtle Beach, tying for seventh with a 916 score at Caledonia GC. Lauren Lightfritz, a freshman from Cumming, tied for 13th in her college debut and was the top finisher for the Lady Bears. Hannah Mae Deems, a junior from Taylorsville, tied for 30th at 229.
Deems led Mercer in the tournament at Furman, tying for 24th at 218 highlighted by a second round 69. The Lady Bears tied for 15th in the 20-team field at 907.
Mercer tied for fifth in a tournament hosted by Missouri with an 881 total, with Deems again leading the team at 220. She shot 70 in the first round and ended up tied for 21st. Lightfritz was T30 at 222, shooting a 74 in each round, and senior Marin Hanna of Moultrie tied for 35th at 223.
Georgia State placed fifth in its season opener in Mobile, with freshman Harmanprit Kaur of Lawrenceville tying for 12th at 223. Georgia State finished with an 896 team total. Kaur had scores of 72 in the first round and 73 in the third as the Lady Panthers finished 19th out of 20 teams at Furman. Georgia State came back with a sixth place finish in Jacksonville at 901, with Kaur T21 at 224.