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  No. 10 Women's Golf Wins Tar Heel Invitational By 12 Strokes
 
Spartans defeat nine top-25 programs and shoot a school-record 860 as a team.
 
 
Laura Kueny led the way for MSU at the Tar Heel Invitational, tying for second place with a career-best score of 212 (-4).
 
Laura Kueny led the way for MSU at the Tar Heel Invitational, tying for second place with a career-best score of 212 (-4).
 
 

Oct. 11, 2009

Complete Results

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - In a record-setting performance, the No. 10 Michigan State women's golf team proved it belongs among the nation's elite.

The Spartans won the prestigious Tar Heel Invitational by 12 strokes with a school-record 54-hole score of 860 (-4) on Sunday, topping an 18-team field that featured nine teams ranked in the top 25 and 14 in the top 50.

MSU carded a 283 in Saturday's second round and a 285 in Friday's first round to record the second- and third-best 18-hole scores, respectively, in program history. The Spartans, who led the entire weekend, closed the 34th annual tournament with a 292 on Sunday.

Second-ranked Auburn finished in second place with an 8-over 872 (296-286-290).

"Outside of the winning the Big Ten Championship, this is the biggest tournament win in my tenure here," said MSU women's golf coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll. "We beat teams we've never beaten today, and they are consistently the top teams in the country, year after year. And we did it by 12 strokes, which is even more impressive. It really shows what we're capable of and the potential we have. (Players) one through five, this is hands down the best team I've had. With performances like we had over the weekend, our players are raising the bar for themselves.

"Entering the final round with a lead, I thought today was the real test, playing with (No. 2) Auburn and (No. 12) Alabama, and our players felt comfortable. I think this proves that we are one of the top teams in the country and it continues to enforce to the girls that we are right there."

Michigan State's previous 54-hole record arrived in April 2006, when the Spartans shot an 864 at the Northwestern Invitational in Rancho Mirage, Calif. In addition, MSU has carded the top-three 18-hole scores in team history this fall, as it shot a school-record 280 in the second round of the Lady Northern Invitational in September. The Spartans won their first tournament of the season, a three-stroke victory at the Mary Fossum Invitational.

 

 

"The team chemistry is amazing, and that's something you can't create as a coach," said Slobodnik-Stoll, who won her 25th tournament as a head coach. "They're excited when their teammates do well and they're fighting for each other."

Senior Laura Kueny led the way for Michigan State, tying for second place for her 13th career top-five finish. It also marks the sixth time Kueny has finished runner-up in her career. The Whitehall, Mich., native closed with a career-best score of 212 (69-72-71), six shots behind medalist Sara-Maude Juneau of Louisville.

"Laura's ball-striking is spectacular," said Slobodnik-Stoll. "She stayed composed all weekend and had another great tournament."

Sophomore Shannon Warner posted her second top-10 finish of the season after carding a 71 on Sunday, her best round of the tournament. Warner tied for sixth with an even-par 216 (72-73-71).

Junior Aimee Neff just missed out on the top 10 but still tied for 11th place overall with a 2-over 218 (73-69-76), while freshman Caroline Powers tied for 31st with a 6-over 222 (79-69-74).

Sophomore Lindsey Solberg finished in a tie for 38th place (71-76-76-223).

The Michigan State women's golf team faces another challenging tournament in its next outing, as it heads to Wilmington, N.C., for the NCAA Preview, site of the NCAA Championships in May.