NEED TO KNOW:
Piedmont Leader: 1st -
Erin Donovan, 75-73-69 = 217 (+1)
As a Team: 3rd of 7
Event Information: 7 teams; 34 golfers
The Course: Carolina Country Club (Spartanburg, S.C.); Par 72: 5,615 yards
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - After firing a final round 3-under 69, Piedmont women's golf sophomore
Erin Donovan ran away to claim the USA South Women's Championship title by seven strokes.
Â
Entering Wednesday's final round tied for the lead, Donovan broke away from the pack, making five birdies in her round against just two bogeys on the day. After making two bogeys on her first five holes, she played her final 13 holes in 4-under par.
Â
Donovan's 3-under 69 ties her career low round, which also ties the Piedmont program record.
This marks Piedmont's first ever USA South Women's Golf Individual Champion.
Â
As a team, the Lions delivered a third-place finish in the event, behind champion Methodist and second-place Huntingdon.Â
In addition to Donovan's historic performance, junior
Sarah Fox pitched in with a final round 80, her best of the event by seven shots. Fox made three birdies on the day, including making two birdies on par 3's.
Shelby Clark matched Fox with an 80, also her best round of the 54-hole event.
Keegan Goins delivered an 84 to give the Lions four counting scores in the 80's while
Abigail Evans made a pair of birdies in a non-counting 91.
Piedmont fired a 313 final round team score, good to tie with Huntingdon in the final round and just 13 behind Methodist.
Donovan's round was up-and-down to begin, as she went bogey-birdie-bogey-birdie on holes 12 through 15 (she started on hole 10). She took her first lead of the day with her birdie at the par-5 13th and then settled her round with her second birdie of the day, coming at the par-3 15th.
Â
By the time she made the turn, her closest competitors began to back up as Donovan held steady and even increased her lead down the stretch.
She all but had the trophy in hand, when for good measure, she holed a 30-footer for birdie at the par-3 8th, her second-to-last hole of the day.
Â
Before the beginning of the tournament, she was named USA South Player of the Year and now she adds another trophy to her mantle.
LIONS ON THE LEADERBOARD:
Â
DONOVAN MAKES HISTORY:
- Donovan's 3-under 69 ties her own program record for best low round and best low round to par.
- She becomes the first in program history to win the USA South Women's Golf Individual Championship.
Â
HOW TO FOLLOW:
- To stay up to date on all information regarding Piedmont University Athletics, be sure to visit PiedmontLions.com and connect with the Green and Gold on social media. Follow the Lions on X
: @PiedmontLions,Â
Instagram: @PiedmontLions, andÂ
Facebook.
Â
