By: By Al Barba
Final Results (PDF)
ORLANDO, Fla. – Kennesaw State junior
Kaew Preamchuen birdied three of her first five holes and carried that momentum throughout the final round of the UCF Challenge to post a career-best tying 5-under par 67 en route to finishing in a tie for seventh place at the 19-team event that concluded Tuesday at the par-72, 6,349-yard Eagle Creek Golf Club in Orlando, Fla.
After posting a par on the opening 14th hole, Preamchuen birdied three of the next four holes, recorded back-to-back birdies on her ninth and 10th holes, and added one more birdie on her 17th hole during a round that included six birdies and 11 pars. The lone blemish was a bogey on the par-3 eighth hole.
"Kaew had the lowest round of the day by 2 strokes," Kennesaw State head coach
Rhyll Brinsmead said. "Her round was fantastic, and I'm very proud of her. She deserved to go low today, and I expect many more rounds like this from her."
The 5-under 67 was the low score of the third round and equaled a career-low 18-hole score for Preamchuen, who also recorded a 67 during the second round of the 2012 Dale McNamara Invitational. The round represents the second-lowest 18-hole score in program history, one stroke shy of a 6-under par 66 turned in by
Ines Lescudier in the final round of the 2013 Atlantic Sun Conference Championships.
Preamchuen's final-round performance helped her finish the UCF Challenge at 2-under par 214, six shots behind UCF's Fanny Cnops who captured individual medalist honors with an 8-under par 208 total, three shots better than Augusta State's Casey Kennedy (211).
The tie for seventh equaled a career-best finish for Preamchuen, who previously tied for seventh at the 2012 Suzie Maxwell Berning Classic. Her 54-hole total of 2-under par 214 also tied for the second-lowest 18-hole score in KSU history, tying the performance of
Hayley Clinning who posted the same score in tying for seventh at the 2011 Palmetto Invitational.
Preamchuen's efforts helped Kennesaw State post a 6-over par 294, the team's best round of the tournament. The Owls finished 17th with a 27-over par 891.
"I'm very satisfied with the play from the team this week," Brinsmead said. "The scoring in this event was very low and although our team finish was 17th, it doesn't reflect the quality of play."
Host UCF led wire-to-wire to claim the team title with a 7-under par 857 to edge Iowa State (858) by one shot. The Cyclones had the best round of the day as they recorded a 3-under par 285.
"We had plenty of opportunities to move up the leaderboard today. Unfortunately, we faulted on the eighth hole and dropped five shots there," Brinsmead said. "Overall this is a solid tourney given our five-month hiatus from competition and I cannot wait to tee it up again on Monday."
Kennesaw State is back in action on Monday, Jan. 17 when it opens play in the Amelia Island Collegiate in Fernandina Beach, Fla.
TEAM SCORES
1. UCF (282-285-290 – 857)
2. Iowa State (292-281-285 – 858)
3. Miami (287-282-295 – 864)
4. Kentucky (291-289-286 – 866)
T5. Minnesota (295-287-287 – 869)
T5. Augusta State (290-289-290 – 869)
KENNESAW STATE (300-297-294 – 891)
KENNESAW STATE SCORES
T7.
Kaew Preamchuen (76-71-67 – 214)
T58.
Dulcie Sverdloff (76-72-75 – 223)
T80.
Laura Estefenn (75-77-76 – 228)
88.
Ines Lescudier (73-82-76 – 231)
T97.
Mette Kryger Pedersen (78-77-83 – 238)
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