Sept. 17, 2002
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The 21st-ranked Purdue women's golf team finished in 12th place in the 2002 NCAA Preview. The Boilermakers shot a 310 on the third round for a three-day score of 922.
No. 6 Arizona won the tournament with an 889, while No. 7 Oklahoma State took second with an 892. No. 13 Vanderbilt placed third with a 901, followed by No. 2 Duke, which shot a 902. No. 1 Auburn rounded out the top five with a 904.
The Boilermakers hosted the 18-team tournament at the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex, which will be the site of the NCAA Championship in May 2003. The Kampen Golf Course was set as a par 72, measuring 6,225 yards.
Senior Kari Damron led Purdue on the final day, carding a one-under-par 71 to finish with a 221. She placed tied for fifth, and was one of only two players to have two rounds under par.
Damron was pleased with how she closed out the tournament.
"I played well today," Damron said. "I played consistent golf."
Senior Heather Zielinski was steady as well. She shot a 75 to finish tied for 14th with a 223.
"Overall I played pretty consistently," Zielinski said.
Zielinski said playing on the Boilermakers' home course was a bonus.
"You always wonder how you're going to do in the first tournament, but it was exciting having it at home and having everyone cheer us on," Zielinski said.
Damron and Zielinski put Purdue in elite company as one of only four schools in the field to place two players in the top 15.
Junior Beth Hermes carded an 84 today, finishing 69th. Classmate Ella Asbun finished tied for 75th, shooting an 80 on her final round. Senior Heather Suhr shot an 86 on her last loop, finishing 86th.
Purdue coach Devon Brouse thought the Boilermakers could have placed higher, but is glad for the experience.
"We have some good players, but I think we're a bit disappointed," Brouse said. "This tournament is a barometer for where you are as a team. We saw some things we can really improve on. The girls are smart enough to make this a very valuable experience."
Individually, Arizona's Miriam Krashchinski took medalist honors with a 215. She shot a 75 on the first day, then carded a 70 on both the second and third rounds.
Duke's Kristina Engstrom and Ohio State's Kristen White tied Kraschinski for today's low round.
The Boilermakers' next tournament, the Mercedes Benz Championship, will be played Oct. 18-20 in Knoxville, Tenn. Purdue is the defending champion of that tournament, while Damron is the defending medalist.
Purdue Scoring Day One Day Two Day Three TotalT5 Kari Damron 71 79 71 221T14 Heather Zielinski 71 77 75 223T69 Beth Hermes 82 73 84 239T75 Ella Asbun 76 86 80 24286 Heather Suhr 82 83 86 25112 TEAM 300 312 310 922