APSU Lady Govs Golf finishes fifth at OVC Tournament

Dickson, TN – Austin Peay State University women’s golf team was left black and blue over the final holes in the Ohio Valley Conference golf championships, Tuesday, played at GreyStone. As a result, the Lady Govs ended in fifth place after shooting a final-round 317 for a 938 total.

Eastern Kentucky held on to win the event with a 916 while Jacksonville State’s late surge came up short by one stroke. Murray State, which was tied with APSU for fourth after two rounds, shot a 299 on the day to finish third at 920 while Morehead State, the tourney favorite, ended fourth at 921.

The Lady Gov had five double bogeys and one triple—the black numbers on the scorecard—on the back nine while totaling 17 bogeys (the blue numbers) against no red numbers (birdies), leaving APSU’s five golfer at 31 over par on the course’s final half.

“We were up by two strokes on Murray at the turn,” APSU coach Sara Robson said. “We just came apart on the back nine. We just had way too many big numbers.

“The wind got it us a little bit. You make the turn and you are downwind on 10 and downwind on 11. I am not sure we chose the right clubs off the tee on No. 11. They kept trying, in fact, maybe they tried a little too hard. But all in all, we just didn’t play well on the back nine today and it cost us.”

The back nine even affected freshman Jessica Cathey and Lauren Bond, who were 1-under and even par on the front nine.

Cathey, who had a hole-in-one on No. 11 on Monday, hit her tee shot short of the green into the trip on this day on the same hole. It became one of five bogeys on the back side.

Bond was even par until a bogey on 13 put her one over and then a tree shot on 16 ricocheted off a tree, resulting in a double bogey.

Still the senior, playing in her final tournament, had the Lady Govs best final-round with a 77. She had Cathey tied for 9th individually with a three-round 14-over 230, respectively. EKU’s Kristen Dorsey captured medalist honors with a 223, two shots better than Tennessee Tech’s Madalyn Everts.

“Lauren had a great tournament,” Robson said. “She really played well last fall, but struggled through much of the spring. But then played well here late—she really came out this week ready to play. I am proud of her.”

It was also the final tournament for senior Tabitha Beard, who overcame a severe wrist injury early in her career, to become a key part of the APSU lineup the last two seasons.

“Tabitha (80) really finished strong for us today,” Robson said. “I know how bad she wanted to break 80 and had some really tough shots coming in, but she really came back after yesterday.”

Box Score – Day 3 – Final