The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Birmingham Southern Shootout
Women's Golf Wins Spring Opener
2/19/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
Feb. 19, 2002
BIRMINGHAM - The windy conditions and slick greens continued, but it wasn't enough to stop the UAB women's golf team from winning the title at the Birmingham-Southern Shootout Tuesday afternoon. The Blazers shot rounds of 335-332 for a 667 total at the 5,878-yard, par-72 Founders Course at the Greystone Country Club.
The Blazers came into day two with a five -stroke lead over South Alabama, their first tournament lead this season. After firing a tournament low 332, the Blazers captured the win by 12 strokes over second place finishers Troy State (679) and South Alabama (679). Middle Tennessee (687) finished in fourth and Samford (699) rounded out the top-five teams.
The win marked the first time since winning the Lady Ram Invitational in 1998-99 the Blazers have won a tournament.
"The course played tough today," said head coach Gwen Merrit. "The girls played well and stuck to their game plan which was to keep the ball in play. They concentrated on what they were doing and because of it, they didn't get in much trouble. Nobody gave up and everyone hung in there very well even under the tough conditions"
Senior Heather Lourie (Montreal Quebec) and Freshman Brooke Mangan (Victoria, Australia) led the charge for the Blazers shooting identical totals of 163. Lourie shot a final round 82 after a first round 81 and Mangan shot rounds of 83-80 to tie them for third place. The third place finish for both players is their highest of the season. During the fall, Lourie finished tied for fifth in the Tenessee Tech Lady Eagle Classic and Mangan finished tied for seventh in the Alabama Capstone Intercollegiate.
Also for the Blazers, Junior Jenni Elmore (Fort Payne, Ala.) and sophomore Katie Kane (Baton Rouge, La,) finished in a tie for 12th. Elmore shot 84-89/173, while Kane shot 87-86/173. Junior Christina Gushanas rounded out the Blazer squad with 91-84/175 to finish in a tie for 16th.
The Blazers will look to continue their success next week as they play in the 2002 Carolinas Collegiate Classic in Pinehurst, N.C. Play begins on Monday and wraps-up on Tuesday.
