Fletcher Wins Memphis Intercollegiate

Tuesday, April 2

Memphis, Tenn.

All Day

University of Memphis

Memphis Women's Intercollegiate

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Apr 02, 2019 | Women's Golf

2019 Memphis Intercollegiate Final

Team finishes third in regular season finale.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – University of Memphis senior Michaela Fletcher saved her best for last.

In the final home tournament of her collegiate career, Fletcher shot a career-low round 66 and a school record low, three-round score of 205 (71-68-66) to capture medalist honors at the 2019 Memphis Women's Intercollegiate Tuesday at Ridgeway Country Club.

Fletcher helped lead the Lady Tigers to a third-place team finish at their annual home tournament. Memphis shot a three-round score of 868, its second-lowest of the 2018-19 campaign behind its 860 at the season-opening Missouri State/Payne Stewart Memorial last fall.

The third-place finish was the Lady Tigers' third-straight top-five performance this spring. Memphis was second at the rain-shortened River Landing Classic and fifth at the Valspar Augusta Invitational. It was Memphis' fifth top-five finish in 2018-19.

Penn State won the 2019 Memphis Women's Intercollegiate team title with an 854 (+2). Middle Tennessee finished as runner-up at 859 (+7).

Fletcher entered Tuesday's final round two strokes behind Penn State's Megan McLean, but used a 4-under par front 9 to grab the top spot on the leaderboard. On the backside, Fletcher pushed her lead to two strokes before finding some trouble on 16. Her tee shot scattered into the trees and she laid it up out of the trees into the water.

"At 16, I was kind of in-between shots on the tee," Fletcher said. "I couldn't pick between the three-wood and the driver. I picked the driver and at the last minute, the wind kicked up from behind and I just quit on the shot so I ended up in the trees. Then I laid up in the water, the one thing I told myself not to do, and then I hit an excellent next shot into the green. I knew that I just had to fight for a bogey because (Middle Tennessee's Hanley Long) was right there in the middle of the fairway. So I hit a phenomenal nine iron to six feet and made, honestly, probably the putt that won me the tournament."

The trouble off 16 squared up Middle Tennessee's Hanley Long with Fletcher and the duo went into Hole No. 18 tied. Fletcher made par on the hole and Long bogeyed, sealing Fletcher's second career victory and her 11^thcareer top five at Memphis.

"Going down 18, the pin position is really tough and kicks really hard from the back there," Fletcher said. "So I played up short because I know that's where I could either chip it in or putt it in. I played to my game plan really well, but fighting that hard on 16 really helped me for the win."

On Memphis' senior day, fellow senior Sydney Colwill also posted a top 10 finish, firing a 73 to finish ninth at 216 (72-71-73). It was Colwill's third top 10 this year and the eighth of her career.

Memphis' third senior, Madison Thomas, finished tied for 11^thin her final home event, scoring a final round 72 to finish at 219 (72-75-72). The top 20 finish was the third this season and the 13^thof her career for Thomas, who won her first collegiate event on this same course in 2015.

Ana Dawson posted a top 30 finish with a 228 after her third round 79 on Tuesday. Her 228 (75-74-79) was good for a tie for 30^th. Julia Matzat, competing as an individual, scored a 233 (77-77-79) to tie for 52^nd, while freshman Victoria Gallegos finished one spot back in a tie for 56^thwith a 234 (79-78-77). Abby Herrmann rounded out the field for Memphis with a 237 (79-77-81) competing as an individual.

Memphis will next be in action at the American Athletic Conference Championships in Palm Coast, Florida, April 14-16. The conference championship will be played on the Conservatory Course of the Hammock Beach Golf Course.