Boulder City, Nev. – On the strength of a career-low round of 4-under par 68, Western Carolina sophomore
Elizabeth Lohbauer claimed a share of the individual medalist honors Tuesday as play concluded at the Jackrabbit Invitational at the par-72, 6,343-yard Boulder Creek Golf Club. Lohbauer guided the Catamounts to another podium finish in the historic 2022-23 season as the Catamounts return from the West Coast with a third-place showing – the sixth, Top Three recorded by the squad.
Lohbauer climbed three positions in the final individual standings to match second-round leader Constanza Guerrero of Grand Canyon who entered the day with a four-stroke edge over a two-way tie for the runner-up spot. Lohbauer was six strokes better than Guerrero over the final 18 holes in posting her career-best finish while also recording her fifth Top Five finish of the season.
Leader through 36 holes, Grand Canyon held on for a seven-stroke victory over second-place Lipscomb, 864-to-871. The Catamounts posted the best final-round score of 294 to secure the third-place finish at 884 with Middle Tennessee and Little Rock finishing tied for fourth to round out the Top Five at 898.
WCU's team score of 884 represents the fourth-best, 54-hole tournament score in program history
Opening Tuesday's final round on the par-4, 341-yard No. 1, Lohbauer countered a bogey on the par-4 third with four birdies to make the turn for home at 3-under par. She birdied the final three holes before the turn, a stretch where she carded five birdies in the event. Three birdies over her next five holes left the Venice, Fla., product at 6-under par and in sole possession of the top spot. She came home with a pair of bogeys over the final four holes to end up tied for the tournament's top spot.
All told, Lohbauer finished tied with two others for the most birdies carded over this week's 54-hole tournament with 14. She was also one of just nine golfers to card an eagle. She also led the tournament in par-4 scoring at 3-under par (3.90). Her three-round score of 210 is the best of her career while also ranking second in WCU women's golf history.
True freshman
Brie Mapanao, who paced the Catamounts after the opening 18 holes, finished tied for 12th, up five spots over the course of the final round. She countered five bogeys with a trio of birdies on Tuesday to shoot 2-over par 74 for a three-round tally of 220. Mapanao led WCU with a team-best 36 pars.
Fifth-year senior
Madison Isaacson was WCU's biggest gainer on Tuesday, advancing 25 positions in the final standings with a final-round score of 2-under par 70 to climb into a tie for 15th. A pair of birdies through her first eight holes pushed her to the back nine at 2-under par before the first of two bogeys relegated her back to 1-under where she stood with one hole to play. The Greensboro native then birdied her 54th hole to cap her round. Isaacson finished the tournament with nine birdies, second only to Lohbauer on the squad with four coming over the final 18 holes.
Rounding out WCU's scoring five were senior
Victoria Ladd down 10 positions into a tie for 60th overall at 234 and redshirt sophomore
Kayleigh Baker down three spots into a tie for 69th at 238. Ladd carded a pair of birdies on Tuesday to finish with four overall with Baker posting three at the event, battling through a tough final round to post five-consecutive pars to end her tournament.
Overall, WCU finished the event third in par-4 scoring at 4.17 (+25), and was third with 37 total birdies.
Playing unattached, sophomore
Kaitlyn Wingnean had another solid performance in coming home tied for 23rd, down three spots in the final round. Wingnean posted a final-round score of 76 despite her tournament-best four birdies to shoot 223 over the 54 holes. She charted eight combined birdies at the event.
Western Carolina women's golf returns to action March 27-28 at the Georgia State Invitational hosted at the Rivermont Golf Club in Johns Creek, Ga.
Keep track of everything related to Catamount women's golf and WCU Athletics through its social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/catamountsports), Instagram (@wcu_catamounts), and Twitter (@catamounts, @CatamountWGolf).
3 – Western Carolina – 299 – 291 – 294 = 884 (+20)
T1 –
Elizabeth Lohbauer (1) – 73 – 69 – 68 = 210 (-6)
T12 –
Brie Mapanao (3) – 72 – 74 – 74 = 220 (+4)
T15 –
Madison Isaacson (4) – 78 – 73 – 70 = 221 (+5)
T60 –
Victoria Ladd (2) – 76 – 76 – 82 = 234 (+18)
T69 –
Kayleigh Baker (5) – 81 – 75 – 82 = 238 (+22)
T23 –
Kaitlyn Wingnean (ind.) – 75 – 72 – 76 = 223 (+7)
