April 21, 2013
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The University of Kentucky women’s golf team shot 20-over-par for the second consecutive day, finishing tied for fifth at the 2013 Southeastern Conference Championships, marking the programs best finish in 20 years when the Wildcats placed fifth at the 1993 conference championships. UK finished 58-over for the tournament tying with Mississippi State, with Alabama taking the league title with a final score of 35-over.
Freshman Sarah Harris was the highlight of the tournament for the Wildcats, finishing a career-best second place at 9-over-par for the event. Harris, who was tied for the individual lead after day one, was tied for fifth coming into Sunday before a 4-over-par, 76 today to catapult her into second overall. The Hermitage, Tenn., native charted a team-high 12 pars on the afternoon to go along with a birdie on the par-4 sixth hole. The second place individual finish was also the highest this season for Kentucky.
“I played really solid this week,” Harris said. “I didn’t try to do anything special I just managed the course really well. It was playing difficult so I came up with a good game plan and stuck to it. In the end, my scores were solid enough for a second place finish which was exciting.”
Junior Liz Breed, who was nearly as impressive as Harris over the weekend, recorded a career-high finish tying for 6th overall at 11-over-par. The Waynesboro, Pa., native came into the day tied for fifth before falling just one slot after a 6-over-par, 78 final round.
“I’m really excited about the outcome of this week,” Breed said. “I didn’t strike the ball very well so I’m really proud of a tied for sixth finish. I am also very proud of Sarah and the rest of my team. Sarah played so well and we all fought until the very end. This momentum is going to carry on to Regionals and then Nationals. I can’t wait to see what we do in the next few weeks.”
Harris and Breed helped lead the Wildcats to one of their best finishes in school history in a field that featured 11 of its 14 teams in the top-50 according to www.golfstat.com rankings, including the Wildcats who are 34th.
Senior Ashleigh Albrecht placed tied for 37th at 19-over-par for the invitational. Albrecht was 6-over on Sunday, tallying birdies on holes No. 8 and 18.
Freshman Cylia Damerau equaled Harris for the low round among Wildcats, firing a 4-over-par, 76 on the afternoon. The native of Cham, Switzerland recorded a team-high five birdies on Sunday and finished tied for 43rd for the championships at 20-over.
Senior Betsie Johnson competed in her final SEC Championship, placing 59th overall at 26-over-par.
With the SEC Championships in the books, UK will wait to learn where they will be heading for the NCAA Regionals during the Division I NCAA Women’s Golf Selection Show on Monday, April 29. For more information on the University of Kentucky women’s golf team please visit UKathletics.com.
2013 Women’s Golf SEC Championship
Birmingham, Ala. – April 19-21
Greystone Golf and Country Club
Par-72, 6,401 yards
Results
2. Sarah Harris – 73 – 76 – 76 – 225 (+9)
T6. Liz Breed – 76 – 73 – 78 – 227 (+11)
T37. Ashleigh Albrecht – 79 – 78 – 78 – 235 (+19)
T43. Cylia Damerau – 79 – 81 – 76 – 236 (+20)
59. Betsie Johnson – 78 – 82 – 82 – 242 (+26)
T5. Kentucky – 306 – 308 – 308 – 922 (+58)
