Women’s Golf Finishes Fourth at AAC Championships

Tuesday, April 17

Palm Coast, FL

University of Memphis

American Athletic Conference

Photo by: (Ben Solomon/American Athletic Conference)

Women’s Golf Finishes Fourth at AAC Championships

Apr 17, 2018 | Women's Golf

2018 American Women's Golf Championship Day 3 Results, Stats

Tigers card even par final round to match program's best-ever finish at AAC championships.

By: Tammy DeGroff

MEMPHIS – With a final round 288, the University of Memphis women's golf team finished fourth at the 2018 American Championships, Tuesday. The fourth place finish matches the Lady Tigers' best finish at an AAC championship. In 2014, Memphis also finished fourth in a seven-team field. This year's field was 10 teams and featured two teams ranked in the top 50 in the country, Houston and ECU. Memphis finished one stroke behind UCF and ECU, who tied for second, while Houston won its second AAC championship.

"I'm so proud of this team for the way they responded today," Head Coach Beth Harrelson said. "We responded every step of the way, you can't be anything but proud of what this team did today. We played an even par round and were actually under par on the backside. In the heat of a competitive event like this, our highest scores today were a pair of 74s (+2), that's just really great golf."

At the turn, Memphis has pulled up to a tie for second in the team standings. Junior Sydney Colwill had made the biggest jump of the day for the Memphis lineup, hopping up to a spot in the top 10. The junior then birdied 10 and 12 to move to -4 on the day. She would finish in the top 10 with a 221 after her final round 71 (-1).

Meanwhile, senior teammate Emily Goldenstein turned in another consistent round. Goldenstein was +1 at the turn, but birdied 10, 15 and 18 to finish with a final round 70 (-2). Her birdie on 18 may have been her final collegiate hole. Her 217 pushed her to a finish for sixth place after three straight top five finishes coming in to the conference tournament. That momentum may give the senior an outside chance at an NCAA individual berth, but if not, she will have birdied her final collegiate hole.

"Emily responded the way you want a senior to," Harrelson said. "She worked the process, stayed in the moment, and didn't get ahead or behind herself and over-complicate it. She has done what she had to do time and time again. She's a leader – on the course, in the classroom, on the practice greens ….. she's better for coming to Memphis and I know we are better for having her."

Michaela Fletcher rallied back with her best round of the event, carding a 73 (+1) to finish in a tie for 14^th at 224. That gives Fletcher her best finish at the conference championships since her freshman year, when she posted a top five finish. Fletcher then missed the following season due to a back injury and led Memphis with a tie for 26^th last year.

Sophomore Abby Herrmann also saved her best round for Tuesday. Heading in to 16 at +3, the Florida native birdied 16 to get to +2. She made a run at a birdie on 18, but saved par and closed her first conference tournament with a 226, good for a tie for 20^th overall.

Madison Thomas fought off an early double bogey on two to get to the turn at nine at +1. The Kentucky native got back to even with a birdie on 11, but found trouble at 13. She battled back from that double bogey with a birdie on 15 and would finish her round at +2. Her 74 pushed her to a 227 for the event and a tie for 22^nd overall.

Wichita State's Taryn Torgerson carded an AAC single round record 64 in the final round Tuesday. She and ECU's Dorthea Forbrigd each finished at 211. In a one-hole playoff, Forbrigd's drive found water. She managed to save it with a good look at par, but Torgerson putted first on the green, and the senior drained an attempt for birdie for individual medalist honors.

Memphis' team season is complete. The NCAA regional fields, including the individuals receiving at-large bids, will be announced Wednesday, April 25.