Alabama Finishes 24th at NCAA Championship
5/27/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
COLUMBUS, Ohio ?? The Crimson Tide women’s golf season came to a close with the completion of the fourth and final round of the 2006 NCAA Championship in Columbus, Ohio. Alabama carded a 314 in the final round of the event and finished in 24th place in its first appearance at the Championship since 1987.
The Tide posted team rounds of 307, 317, 310 and 314 at the four-day Championship and finished with a 72-hole total of 1248. The score was 16 strokes behind SEC rival LSU, who finished one spot ahead of UA in the team standings.
The final round of play at the Ohio State University Scarlet Course was delayed for nearly 40 minutes, as rainstorms moved through the area. Play resumed at approximately 1:30 CT.
Duke successfully defended its 2005 title and earned its second national championship in as many years by holding of Southern Cal. Pepperdine, Airzona State and Cal rounded out the top five in the team standings.
The leader once again for the Tide in the final round, and at the Championship, was first team All-SEC performer Jenny Suh. Suh, who sealed the second NCAA Championship appearance in school history at the NCAA regional with a clutch playoff putt, fired a one-over 73 in the final round of her junior campaign.
Suh had struggled on the first day of play, shooting the first 80 in NCAA competition of her career, but rebounded with rounds of 74, 78 and 73 in the next three rounds. The two-time All-American finished the Championship with a four-round total of 305, good for a tie for 59th place on the individual leaderboard.
Another key performer throughout the week was Carina Sorensen, a senior who played in her final intercollegiate competition at the Championship. Sorensen fired a 72-hole score of 310 that included a 74 on the opening day and a 76 in the third round of the event. The native of Sweden finished in a tie for 83rd place individually.
True freshman Laura Goodwin posted strong scores in her first NCAA Championship appearance. The Birmingham native recorded scores of 76, 77, 79 and 80 to finish with a 312. Goodwin played in every round this season for the Tide and improved her stroke average dramatically through the second half of the spring season.
Sarah Sturm and Audrey Gale, who with Sorensen was the only other senior on the Tide roster, rounded out the UA lineup. Gale shot a 76 on the opening day of the event, but was unable to maintain her momentum. Sturm and Gale each finished with a 328 at the Championship.
Dewi Schroefel of Southern Cal captured the 2006 NCAA individual title, bettering Duke’s Jennie Lee by two strokes for the medal.s
The Tide will lose two seniors, Gale and Sorensen, from this year’s team, but will welcome three signees to the 2006-07 roster.
