May 10, 2003

JACKSON WINS EAST REGIONAL WITH CAREER-BEST 66; FURMAN FINISHES NINTH

CLEMMONS, North Carolina -- Furman senior Brandi Jackson carded a career-low 66 in the final round of the NCAA East Regional on Saturday to earn a four stroke victory and a berth in the NCAA Championships, May 20-24, in West Lafayette, Ind. The Lady Paladin team carded its second consecutive 293, but finished ninth, one spot and four strokes out of earning a team berth to the Championships.

Jackson, the reigning Southern Conference Player of the Year birdied the second and third holes of the day (11 and 12) to get ahead of par, but a double bogey on the par four 16th brought her back to even. “My goal was to not let that double bother me,” said Jackson. “I knew there were a lot of holes to be birdied still out there and I tried to focus on that.” Jackson took her thoughts to heart and birdied holes 18, one, two, and three, to get to four under on the day. Just to be safe, Jackson added another birdie on the par five seventh and parred in for her career-best round.

“I putted better today that ever before, I think,” said Jackson. “I made the ones I knocked close and made a few long ones too."

With the victory, Jackson becomes the first Lady Paladin to earn an individual bid to the NCAA Championships since 2000, when Jennifer Perri advanced to the tournament after finishing 21st in the East Regional. Perri went on to place 18th at Nationals, and was also Furman’s last Regional winner, after tying for first at the 1999 East Regional in Blythewood, S.C.

In addition to Jackson’s 66, Furman’s Leigh Turner carded a 73, Tiarna Harman shot a 75, Haley Gildea carded a 79, and Cimmie Shahan fired an 81.

Furman Results
9th Furman 307-293-293=893
1st Brandi Jackson 68-71-66=205
36th Leigh Turner 78-73-73=224
68th Tiarna Harman 79-76-75=230
84th Haley Gildea 82-73-79=234
106th Cimmie Shahan 93-83-81=247