MAY 20, 2004

FRESHMAN DUO PACES LADY PALADINS

AUBURN, Alabama -- The freshman duo of Jenny Suh and Theresa Paik paced the Lady Paladins for the second day in a row, leading Furman to a third round 302 and tie for 14th with one round left to play in the NCAA Championships. Furman’s team score of 900 (302-296-302) puts the Lady Paladins even with New Mexico and Arizona and two strokes ahead of Southern California.

Suh carded a second consecutive 72, which combined with a first round 77 gives her a 221 and 27th place standing at the National Championship. Suh started the day with bogeys on three of the first four holes, but birdied numbers two, six, seven, and nine to make the turn at one-under. On the backside Suh went to two-under when she sank a 20-foot birdie putt on the par five 12th hole, but returned to even with bogeys on 13 and 15.

Paik, meanwhile, fired a 76 after making the turn at plus two. A birdie on the par five 12th put her back at one over, but bogeys on holes 13, 15, and 16, added up to four over.

As a team, the Lady Paladins were looking strong and had a cumulative score of one-over after 12 holes, but the tough trifecta of 13, 14, and 15 rattled the young team and sent Furman to 10-over entering the final three holes.Freshman Monique Gesualdi, even through 12 holes, suffered a particularly frustrating final six, recording a triple bogey seven on number 13, along with bogeys on holes 16 and 17 for a second consecutive 77.

“Once again we put ourselves in postition to post a really good number,” said coach Mic Potter, “but we were unable to finish and get into the clubhouse right around par. I feel confident that this team has a 288 or 290 in them, but this is a tough golf course to travel around mistake free.”

Senior Sarah Johnston had a whirlwind front nine, tallying three birdies, three bogeys, and a triple bogey to turn at three-over. Five consecutive pars on the back nine gave way to a bogey on the challenging par three 15th and another bogey on number 16, for a 77 on the day.

Sophomore Connor Atkinson rounded out the Furman team with a five-over 79. Atkinson also handled the front nine well, turning at plus one, before bogeying holes 11 and 18 with doubles on 13 and 15.

The Lady Paladins will tee off hole number one beginning at 9 a.m. for Friday’s final round, and will be paired with New Mexico and Southern California. Second-ranked UCLA leads the Championship at 854, while Oklahoma State is second at 863 and top-ranked Duke is third at 865.

Furman Results
T14th 302-296-302=900

Individuals
T27th Jenny Suh 77-72-72=221
T49th Theresa Paik 75-73-76=224
T62nd Sarah Johnston 75-74-77=226
T81st Monique Gesualdi 75-77-77=229
T107th Connor Atkinson 79-77-79=235