Photo by WKU Athletics
The Lady Hilltoppers are primed for a championship finish at the final round of the USA Intercollegiate on Monday.
MOBILE, Ala. — Junior Mary Joiner and the WKU Lady Topper Golf team are back in the championship chase with a series of career and program lows in their first event of the season.
Joiner is just three strokes back of the individual lead with one round to play at South Alabama’s USA Intercollegiate, while the Lady Toppers are just four strokes out of first place in the team standings.
WKU put together its second straight score of 290 on Sunday for a program-record total of 580 at the par-72, 6,002-yard RTJ Magnolia Grove-Crossings Course.
The Lady Toppers are tied with Tulane and Lamar for third place, while South Florida is within striking distance in first at 576.
Meanwhile, Joiner is tied for second individually with a career-low, two-round total of 139 (71-68), while ties the program record for 36 holes. She’s three shots back of Stetson’s Hanna Kiefer (136).
The Franklin, Ky., native Joiner shot a 4-under 68 on Sunday, which ties for the third-lowest round ever by a Lady Topper. She’s tied for the tournament lead with nine total birdies, including seven in Sunday’s second round.
Joiner finished second in the USA Intercollegiate last season and is pursuing her fifth career individual title. Her four previous wins are already a program record.
WKU juniors Bailey Tyree and Abigail Smee are also in the top 20 individually following the best 36-hole showings of their careers. Tyree is tied for 10th with a career-low 143 (69-74) total, while Smee is tied for 18th with a career-low 145 (72-73).
Sophomore Megan Clarke enters the final round at 153 (78-75), while freshman Lizzie Loy is at 161 (80-81). Sophomore Caroline Cavin has a 154 (78-76) mark competing as an individual.
Courtesy of WKU Athletics
