WALLACE, N.C. ? The Kentucky women?s golf team rallied from an 11-stroke deficit Tuesday on the final day of the Lady Seahawk Invitational to claim the tournament hosted by the University of North Carolina-Wilmington at the River Landing Golf Club. Sophomore Beth Felts (Chattanooga, Tenn.) and senior Ali Kicklighter (DeLand, Fla.) each finished in the individual top 10, leading the Cats to their first tournament title of the season.
The Wildcats posted a three-round total of 906 (305-306-295), including their third-best round of the season with a 295 on the event?s final 18 holes. UK finished two strokes ahead of second-place Western Carolina and five strokes ahead of host UNC-Wilmington.
?I am really proud of our team,? UK head coach Stephanie Barker said. ?Any time you are able to win a tournament, it is really exciting. I am so proud of our team for making a comeback in tough conditions. It was very blustery today, but our players showed a lot of heart and kept their focus.
?This was an important win for us and will really do a lot for our morale. We beat some teams ranked ahead of us, and put together some really good scores in this tournament. It was neat to see our whole team come together and play well today.?
Felts posted her second top-10 finish of the season after carding a three-round total of 220 (71-75-74) to finish in a tie for second place with East Tennessee State?s Ashley Barton. UNC-Wilmington?s Michelle Jarmon took home the individual crown with a 2-over-par 218 (72-74-72).
?Beth has been playing well all season for us,? Barker said. ?She has just been on the cusp of doing really well in several tournaments and it was nice to see it all come together today.?
Kicklighter tied the lowest round of her career with a 71 on the final day of play to finish in fifth place with a 223 (77-75-71). It marked Kicklighter?s team-leading third top-10 finish of the year.
?Ali has been so consistent all season long,? Barker said. ?She has put together some really good scores this semester and to see her come back today and move up in this tournament was really exciting.?
Junior Katie Johnson (Lexington, Ky.) concluded play in a tie for 17th place with a 231 (79-78-74) while sophomore Elizabeth Dotson (White Bluff, Tenn.) finished in a tie for 34th place with a 237 (83-78-76). Senior Erin Faulkner (Bowling Green, Ky.) finished in a tie for 58th place with a 246 (78-79-89) to round out the tournament field for the Wildcats.
Competing as an individual, junior Marissa Muir (Tucson, Ariz.) finished in a tie for 51st place with a 243 (85-75-83).
The Wildcats will next compete April 3-4 at the John Kirk/Lady Panther Invitational hosted by Georgia State University in UK?s final regular-season tournament.
Post-Tournament Notes
The Wildcats claimed their first tournament of the season with the Lady Seahawk Invitational title. The Cats? third-round 295 marks Kentucky?s third-best round of the season. UK shot a 291 in the first round of the Wildcat Fall Invite and a 291 in the second round of the Tyson/Embassy Suites Arkansas Invitational. Sophomore Beth Felts posted her best career finish, completing the event tied for second place. It marked her second top-10 finish of the season after finishing tied for seventh place in the Wildcat Fall Invite. Senior Ali Kicklighter notched her team-leading third top-10 finish of the year, completing the tournament in fifth place. Her 71 in the final round Tuesday tied her career-best round.
