Bronchos Claim Crown

10/5/2010 6:37:55 PM

Raelynn Farthing

Tournament Results

OKLAHOMA CITY (Oct. 5) – A late surge enabled Central Oklahoma to finish off another stellar round and hold on for the team championship in the UCO/Mahogany Golf Classic Tuesday afternoon at Lincoln Park Golf Club.

The Bronchos followed up Monday's school-record 289 with the second-best score in school history, a 13-over-par 293 that gave UCO a 582 total after two trips around the 6,120-yard, par-70 East Course. St. Edward's was three shots back at 585 after a closing 288, while Cameron (602) was third and Incarnate Word (607) fourth in the 17-team tournament.

UCO's five players were a combined eight-over on Nos. 13, 14 and 15 in the final round, but the Bronchos came up with a series of clutch putts down the stretch and played the final three holes three-under to claim the victory.

Emily Leahey led the way Tuesday with a one-over 71 that left her second in the medalist race, just one shot behind winner Wallis Spears of SEU. Erica Bensch, Raelynn Farthing and Taylor Neidy all shot 74 and Chaney Uhles had a 75, with Bensch (T-fourth), Uhles (T-fourth) and Neidy (T-eighth) all finishing in the top 10.

“I'm really proud of the way we played today and especially with the way we finished the round,” UCO coach Michael Bond said. “The girls came out really focused on following up yesterday with another good round and they went out and did it. We struggled some on 13, 14 and 15, but the girls turned it around and finished strong.

“It was a great tournament for us and gives us a lot of momentum for the rest of the fall. I'm grateful for everything Lincoln Park did for us and I really appreciate the men's golf team coming out and supporting us both days. That was really awesome and gave us a big boost.”

Leahey was steady all day en route to shooting her UCO career-low round, opening with a birdie on the par-4 first hole and making the turn at even-par 35. The junior birdied the par-3 10th to get to one-under before making back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 12 and 13, but she ended the round with five straight pars.

Bensch shot a front-nine 38 and was six-over through 16 holes before finishing with consecutive birdies, draining a long putt on the par-3 17th hole and then two-putting the par-4 18th after driving the green. Taylor had birdies on Nos. 10 and 12 to get to one-over for her round before going four-over on the next three holes, but she rebounded with three straight pars.

Farthing struggled to a front-nine 39 before turning it around on the back nine, shooting an even-par 35 behind seven pars, a birdie and one bogey. Uhles birdied the par-3 ninth hole to make the turn at 36, but a four-hole stretch on the back nine dropped her to five-over before she ended with three consecutive pars.

UCO had two players compete as individuals in the tournament, with Mychael McWhorter shooting a final-round 78 and Mary Sue Sample an 86.

The Bronchos return to action next week, going to the Dallas Baptist Classic in Irving, Texas Monday and Tuesday.

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