University of Tennessee Athletics
Final Day Belongs to Georgia at Mercedes-Benz Championships
October 17, 1999 | Women's Golf
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - For the second consecutive year, the Mercedes-Benz Women’s Collegiate Championships individual champion was declared by playoff. After three holes, Georgia’s Shauna Estes edged out Wake Forest’s Nuria Clau by one stroke, to insure the Bulldog’s sweep of both the team and individual titles at the Gettysvue Polo, Golf and Country Club on Sunday.
"It was a struggle for 18 holes today," Estes said. "I had the same club in on all three playoff holes, and got the break at the end. It was a battle and that’s just the way things go, but I’m happy with the win."
Estes held the lead all three days on the par 72, 5,985-yard layout, firing 70 and 71 in the first two rounds. Her final round 76, paired with Clau’s 72 on Sunday, sent the duo out to climb the Gettysvue hills one more time. They both hit even par on their first trip up the ninth hole, then Estes found herself hitting from beyond the cart path after they moved play over to 18, forcing her to bogey the hole. However, Clau’s second put hit the lip of the cup and didn’t fall, moving the playoff to one final hole. Estes was able to hit the green in two, giving her the advantage en route to her sixth career tournament win.
The Georgia team combined for a final round 306 to take the tournament title by two strokes over defending champion Duke. The Blue Devils made up ground on day three, just as they had done the previous year for the championship, but finished with a total of 908 for second. Wake Forest rounded out the top three at 910.
"It is a thrill to win at Gettysvue," said Georgia head coach Beans Kelly. "We hung in there each round and got out of the gate strong today, and Shauna’s win was really icing on the cake for us. It was a great tournament and a great win."
Tennessee stayed consistent in their home event, finishing in eighth place, the spot the team occupied after each round. The team combined for 305 Sunday, the second-lowest total of the round and one shot better than tournament champ Georgia. A pair of freshman bolstered the Lady Vol effort on the final day. Rosanna Zernatto fired a career-low even-par 72, including five birdies to finish tied for 12th place, and Erin Simmons carded her second-straight 76 for 29th place. Sophomore Young-A Yang returned to form to finish with a final-round 75 and end tied for 18th. Also finishing for UT were Tina Schneeberger at 242 for 57th place and Stacey Bergman with a total of 249 for a share of 71st.
"I’m glad we finished on a higher note," said Lady Vol head coach Lori Brock. "Both of our freshmen played well today, and it was great to see Rosanna shoot even par. We need a well-deserved week off and then we’ll hit it hard at Furman."
The Lady Vols will take next weekend off before heading to Greenville, S.C., for the final tournament of the fall schedule. The team will participate in the Lady Paladin Invitational, hosted by Furman University, on Oct. 29-31.
Photos of tournament action can be found online at: www.ipix.com/specials/mbchampionship
