March 11, 2008
SORRENTO, Fla.- No. 1 Duke captured its second consecutive title at the UCF Challenge To Benefit Florida Children's Hospital on Tuesday at RedTail Golf Club. The Blue Devils shot a season-low three-round total of 851 (282-282-287) to finish 13-under-par. No. 10/11 Purdue placed second in the 18-team field and the Boilermakers' four-under par 860 (289-283-288) is the lowest 54-hole tournament score in school history.
Purdue freshman Junthima Gulyanamitta finished in second place just two strokes behind Duke sophomore Alison Whitaker, with a six-under par 210 (72-66-72). Gulyanamitta's second round 66 was a personal best, the lowest round by a Boilermaker this season and ties her with teammate Maria Hernandez for second-lowest single-round in school history.
Whitaker captured individual medalist honors, shooting an eight-under-par 208 (65-71-72). Included in Whitaker's win was a course record of 65 (-7) on the opening day of play.
Purdue junior Maria Hernandez tied for 12th with a one-under par 215 (71-73-71). Junior Christel Boeljon moved up 10 places on the final day, tying for 18th with a 217 (74-72-71). Freshman Maude-Aimee Leblanc followed up her second place finish in the Lady Puerto Rico Classic with a tie for 23rd in the UCF Challenge, carding a 218 (72-72-74). Carolyn Mess fired an 84 in the final round and finished 93rd.
UCLA was third with a one-under par 863 (286-291-286). Florida was fourth with a one-over par 865 (292-283-290) and Southern California finished fifth with a plus-four 868 (281-294-293). Host Central Florida finished in a tie for 12th place overall, finishing with a three-round total of 894 (292-299-303).
Florida State's Caroline Westrup shot the lowest round of the day with a 66 on the final 18 holes.
Complete results are available on golfstat.com and purduesports.com.
The Purdue women's golf team returns to action March 21 to 23, when it travels to Athens, Ga., to compete in the three-day Liz Murphey Invitational hosted by the University of Georgia.