March 23, 2008
ATHENS, Ga. - On the final day of the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic, the 13th-ranked Georgia women's golf team captured the title over sixth-ranked Purdue in a playoff on the Bulldogs' home course. The two teams were tied with a three-day total of 900 upon completion of regular play, but Georgia recorded four pars on the second playoff hole to win.
Despite leading by three strokes at the start of play Sunday, Georgia shot a 10-over 298 while the Boilermakers fired a 7-over 295. Following Georgia and Purdue were Alabama (912) in third and Arkansas (916) in fourth. Top-ranked Duke and Kent State tied for fifth place with 54-over 918s.
Purdue's top two golfers, juniors Christel Boeljon and Maria Hernandez, tied for medalist honors at 218. Hernandez fired the low round of the day with a four-under par 68 and Boeljon recorded a three-under 69. It was the first rounds below-par rounds for the pair in this tournament, and the only scores in the 60s by any golfer on Sunday. In last year's Liz Murphey Classic, Hernandez was tied for the lead at the end of regulation, but dropped to second place when Virginia's Leah Wigger birdied the first hole of the playoff.
Freshman Maude-Aimee Leblanc had the share of the lead after two rounds but finished sixth (223) after firing a 77 in the final round. Fellow freshman Junthima Gulyanamitta carded an 81 to finish tied for 67th, with a three-round total of 241. Junior Carolyn Mess shot an 87 in the final round and finished 93rd with a total of 261.
Following the top two individuals from Purdue were top-ranked Amanda Blumenherst of Duke and Kathleen Ekey of Alabama who tied for third with 4-over 220s. Ekey, who shot 1-under in the third round, was the only golfer along with Purdue's top finishers to go under par Sunday. Calle Nielson of Virginia came in fifth with a 6-over 222.
The Boilermakers return to action April 7 and 8 in the Indiana Invitational at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Ind.