Katelyn Dambaugh Earns Top-10 Finish At Darius Rucker Intercollegiate

By: USC SID
Mike Gillespie

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (USC SID) — South Carolina women’s golfer Katelyn Dambaugh finished in a tie for seventh (217, +4) at the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate after firing a 1-under 70 in the event’s final round at Long Cove Club. The Gamecocks, who posted a 9-over 293 on Sunday, moved up the leaderboard in the third round and finished the tournament in a tie for eighth place at 35-over (887).

Alabama won the 54-hole event with a final score of 868 (+16), while Crimson Tide freshman Cheyenne Knight earned medalist honors after totaling a 213 to finish even.

Dambaugh notched three birdies on Sunday, starting on the par-4 12th. She made the turn at even (35) before adding birdies on holes No. 1 and 3. The Goose Creek, S.C., native, who boasts four top-10 finishes this season, recorded just two bogeys in the final round, and her 1-under 70 marked the low 18-hole score for the Gamecocks during the week.

Ainhoa Olarra (T-26, +9) finished just outside the top 25 after carding her third-straight 3-over 74. The sophomore shook off three early bogeys, registering birdies on No. 13 and 15, and she made the turn at 3-over 38. Olarra’s final birdie of the day came on the par-4 fifth, and she closed her round with four straight pars.

Senior Sarah Schmelzel also recorded a 3-over 74, as she collected two birdies on Sunday’s third round. Following a 3-over 38 on her front nine, the Phoenix, Ariz., native settled down and turned in an even 36 on her final nine holes. Schmelzel finished in a tie for 35th with a three-round total of 223 (+10).

Marion Veysseyre (T-39) concluded her impressive week with a final-round score of 75 (+4). Back-to-back birdies on No. 15 and 16 helped her recover from multiple early bogeys, and the freshman recorded her last birdie of the week on the par-5 third. Veysseyre’s three-day score of 225 (+12) marked her best 54-hole total for the Gamecocks.

Junior Jia Xin Yang turned in a 9-over 80 on Sunday to finish her week in a tie for 84th place at 23-over (236). Fellow junior Marianna Monaco, who was one of two Gamecocks competing as an individual, finished tied for 80th (234, +21) in her first tournament for South Carolina. Freshman Isidora Nilsson, the other individual for the Gamecocks, placed 89th with a total score of 242 (+29).

Virginia (875, +23) earned runner-up honors, while Duke turned in the low round of the day (290, +6) to finish third at 26-over (878).

SOUTH CAROLINA RESULTS

T7. Katelyn Dambaugh 75-72-70=217 (+4)

T26. Ainhoa Olarra 74-74-74=222 (+9)

T35. Sarah Schmelzel 77-72-74=223 (+10)

T39. Marion Veysseyre 77-73-75=225 (+12)

T84. Jia Xing Yang 79-77-80=236 (+23)

 TEAM STANDINGS

  1. Alabama 278-298-292=868 (+16)
  2. Virginia 281-298-296=875 (+23)
  3. Duke 299-289-290=878 (+26)
  4. Oklahoma State 292-290-297=879 (+27)
  5. North Carolina 290-295-296=881 (+29)
  6. Arkansas 289-296-297=882 (+30)
  7. Georgia 301-282-300=883 (+31)

T8. South Carolina 303-291-293=887 (+35)

T8. USC 297-293-297=887 (+35)

  1. Tennessee 295-292-301=888 (+36)
  2. Vanderbilt 282-300-307=889 (+37)
  3. Furman 303-302-293=898 (+46)
  4. Auburn 296-289-316=901 (+49)
  5. Wake Forest 300-300-303=903 (+51)

T15. LSU 303-301-308=912 (+60)

T15. Mississippi State 303-300-309=912 (+60)

  1. Kentucky 307-300-306=913 (+61)

ROUND CHANGER

Junior Katelyn Dambaugh saw a strong start to her back nine on Sunday, as she birdied two of the first three holes following the turn.

NOTABLES

  • This weekend marked the 10th career top-10 finish for Katelyn Dambaugh. Sunday was the ninth time this season that the junior finished a round par or better.
  • Junior Marianna Monaco was just one of four golfers to card an eagle this week. Her eagle came on the the par-5 third during Sunday’s final round.
  • South Carolina’s 9-over 293 on Sunday was the third-lowest score in the final round.

 UP NEXT

The Gamecocks return to action on Mon, March 14, when they begin play at the Wildcat Invitational in Tucson, Ariz. The two-day event, which takes place at Sewailo Golf Club, will be hosted by the University of Arizona.

Categories: Local Sports, Sports, USC Gamecocks

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