March 28, 2010

Final Results

By Zach Stipe, Media Relations Graduate Assistant

ATHENS, Ga. -- Sophomore Nathalie Mansson's strong final round effort led the 11th-ranked Tennessee women's golf team to a 16th-place finish on Sunday at the University of Georgia-hosted Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic.

Mansson torched the UGA Golf Course for five birdies en route to a 2-under 70 third-round score. It's the second straight tournament she has carded a spectacular final-round total, firing a 68 at the Tiger-Wave Classic on March 14.

Her final round propelled the Stockholm, Sweden, native to a tie for sixth-place - her sixth top-10 performance of the season. That mark is tied for fourth on the UT single-season list, while Mansson's final day score is her 10th round of par or under of 2009-10 - good for fifth on the single-season charts.

Mansson's three-day total was 76-79-70=225 (+9).

Tennessee put together by far its best round of the tournament on Sunday, totaling 301 (+13) to move up two spots on the leaderboard from the second round.

The Lady Vols final tally of 318-319-301=938 (+74) placed them ahead of No. 12 Florida by five strokes, as well as SEC rivals Ole Miss (+88) and Mississippi State (+126) at the ultra-competitive event that featured 12 Golfstat Top-25 teams in the 23-squad field.

Freshmen Sara Monberg and Erica Popson recorded their best rounds of the tournament, firing a 75 and 76, respectively.

Monberg had 16 pars in the final round and finished with an 81-82-75=238 (+22) to tie for 61st. Popson carded a pair of birdies on the last day and her score of 86-77-76=239 (+23) tied her for 69th.

Senior Ginny Brown wrapped up the tournament with an 80 and tied for 86th with an 81-81-80=242 (+26) total.

Brown's classmate, Diana Cantú, finished a stroke behind her teammate in t88th with an 80-82-81=243 (+27).

No. 4 Duke led the tournament wire-to-wire, eventually winning in dominating fashion with a score of 300-300-289=889 (+25) - 21 strokes ahead of second-place and No. 6 Alabama (+46).

Blue Devil Lindy Duncan also won the individual title handedly, totaling 70-72-71=213 (-3) to nab victory by eight strokes.

Tennessee will look to carry its momentum from a strong final round into next weekend, as the Big Orange will compete at Wake Forest's Bryan National Collegiate tournament from Friday to Sunday in Greensboro, N.C.