Medders Lady'Backs dominate tournament

Jump to results ROGERS, Ark. — University of Arkansas sophomore Ashley Medders posted a final round 69 winning the individual title at the Tyson/Embassy Suites Invitational at Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers, Ark. Medders, competing as one of three Lady Razorback individuals, put together her career-best 212 winning over a pair of teammates in Stacy Lewis and Courtney Mahon who tallied 215s. Arkansas also captured the team title winning for the sixth time in program history. "Ashley is extremely talented," said head coach Kelley Hester. "It’s both refreshing and positive to see her play to her talent level. She was maybe struggling with things a bit last season but look out now. She put her foot on the accelerator and didn’t wimp in." In fact, Medders birdied her final hole, one of four on the day. The second-ranked Lady’Backs won the team title paced by Lewis and Mahon who were just off the pace, three strokes back. Senior Amanda McCurdy moved up seven spots in the final round with a field-leading 68 for 218 and a fifth-place finish. Senior Sarah Trew tied for 20th overall at 229, followed by senior Lindsey Hinshaw who tied for 28th at 230. Freshman Lucy Nunn and sophomore Whitney Sylvan also competed as individuals with Nunn finishing tied for 64 at 241 and Sylvan finished 72nd with a 246. In addition to the places in the final standings that Arkansas amassed, the Lady Razorbacks met their goal of counting a round under par with a school record 286, bettering the previous mark of 289 set in 2004. Arkansas’ final score of 876 is also a school record, behind an 881 set at the Central District Invitational also in 2004. "It was great to shoot under par today," said Hester. "We knew that if we came out and competed against the golf course and didn’t worry about what everyone else was doing, the results would take care of themselves. This tournament gives us confidence as we head into a tough part of the schedule." The Lady Razorbacks finished 20 strokes better than No. 51 Notre Dame who counted 896. Southeastern Conference foe Kentucky, ranked 52nd, was third with a 906, followed by No. 51 Nebraska (911) and No. 40 Augusta State (915) rounding out the top five team scores. Arkansas departs Wednesday for the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Classic hosted by Tennessee Oct. 21-23, in Knoxville, Tenn., followed by an Oct. 31-Nov. 1 trip to the Las Vegas Founders Collegiate Showdown. "The Tennessee tournament has a really great field," said Hester, "but we’ve always played well at that event in the past. I’m excited to see what we can do."