Bears Tie Program Record in Strong Finish at Golfweek Challenge

Monday, September 25

Edwards, Colo.

TBA

Mercer University

Golfweek Conference Challenge

Bears Tie Program Record in Strong Finish at Golfweek Challenge

9/27/2017 8:14:00 PM | Women's Golf

Team Leaderboard Individual Leaderboard

Mercer shoots collective three-under-par 285, ties program record for lowest single-round score

By: Gerrit W. Van Genderen

WOLCOTT, Colo. – Mercer tied a program record for lowest single-round score with a three-under par 285, which moved the Bears up one spot to finish ninth at the Golfweek Conference Challenge on Wednesday at the Red Sky Golf Club's Fazio Course.

The round ties Mercer's 285 in the opening round of the Great Smokies Intercollegiate at the Waynesville Inn (N.C.) on Sept. 16, 2013.

The 285 was the third best score of the field's 18 teams Wednesday, only two strokes behind Louisville's round-best 283. Mercer was powered by strong individual performances by Lauren Lightfritz – who finished in a four-way tie for seventh place – Payton Schanen and Mary Augusta Janiga.

Mercer Scorecard

9	Mercer	297	304	285	+22	886
T-7	Lauren Lightfritz	72	76	68	E	216
T-22	Payton Schanen	76	74	71	+5	221
T-38	Karina Kukkonen	71	77	76	+8	224
T-62	Mary Augusta Janiga	81	77	71	+13	229
T-74	Hannah Mae Deems	78	81	75	+18	234

MERCER ON THE TEAM LEADERBOARD
Mercer finished only two shots outside of a tie for fifth place with its impressive 285 card Wednesday in Colorado. Host Denver won the tournament, shooting eight-over-par for the week including a one-over-par 289 Wednesday. The Bears owned sole possession of ninth place as they claimed a slot inside the top half of the 18-team field.

MERCER ON THE INDIVIDUAL LEADERBOARD
Three Bears – Lightfritz, Schanen and Janiga – shot under par Wednesday including a four-under-par 68 card by Lightfritz, who moved up 16 spots into a tie for seventh place. Lightfritz, who started on No. 10, birded No. 3, 8 and 9 to close out her round in sound fashion.

Schanen jumped nine spots into a tie for 22nd as she birded her final two holes, No. 9 and 10, during a one-under-par 71 round. Janiga, despite finishing 62nd for the tournament, overcame four bogies to still claim a one-under-par round.

UP NEXT
The Bears' second tournament of the 2017 fall season takes them to Columbia, Missouri, for the Johnie Imes Invitational, hosted by University of Missouri. The three-day tournament starts Oct. 2 and will be held at the Club at Old Hawthorne.

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