03/10/2009 - Duke Sports Information

SORRENTO, Fla. – Senior Jennie Lee collected a career-best 54-hole total of 210 to place third individually at the 2009 UCF Challenge on Tuesday, which was being played at the par 72, 6,301-yard, RedTail Golf Club.  Lee finished two strokes off the individual lead as UCLA’s Stephanie Kono placed first with a 208.

Lee, a product of Henderson, Nev., fired under-par rounds of 71, 68 and 71 marking the first time in her four-year career she has posted three straight under-par rounds.  On Tuesday, Lee registered three birdies over her first six holes to start out at three-under-par and made the turn at two-under-par, 34.  The Blue Devils started their round on hole No. 10 so on Lee’s back nine, which were holes one through nine she finished with a one-over-par, 37.  Lee posted five birdies on the day and finished the tournament with a total of 14 birdies.

“I am excited about some of the things that she is doing,” said Duke Head Coach Dan Brooks.  “She has been working hard on one of the hardest things you can work on and that is to speed up your putting routine.  She is making great strides on a very difficult thing because that can get in your way if you are taking a little to long.  It is your routine, you are used to something and now you are changing it.  I am very proud of her for that.”
  
Her finish of third was a season-best and it was her best finish since her sophomore year when she finished third on two different occasions.  Taking home the individual title was Kono as she notched a six-under-par, 66, on Tuesday in the final round to win by one stroke over Florida’s Jessica Yadloczky (209). 

“We are working on her tempo and a little bit of stuff with her swing,” commented Brooks on Lee.  “She is really dedicated to it and that led to good things.  We were really hoping she could pull out the win.”

As a team, Duke turned in an eight-over-par, 296, on the final day to finish with a 20-over-par, 884, for the tournament.  The Blue Devils finished 13th overall, while UCLA collected the team champion honors with a 14-under-par, 850 ledger.  Other top team finishers were Arizona State (857), Oklahoma State (861), Southern California (872), Auburn (874), Florida (877), LSU (877), Tennessee (880), North Carolina (881), Pepperdine (882), Purdue (882) and Arizona (883).

“We are making strides,” said Brooks.  “It isn’t easy for any of us to finish in this position at a tournament, but I still have a great deal of belief and I feel like this team has a lot of belief in what we can accomplish.  We haven’t been doing anything wrong; we keep working and are going to keep on doing that.  That is all you can do.”

Junior Yu Young Lee matched a career-best two-over-par, 74, in the final round to finish with rounds of 78, 76 and 74 for a total of 228, which was tied for 68th.  A native of Orlando, Fla., Lee birdied her final two holes of the day, No. 8 and No. 9 to finish with a 74. 

“Yu birdied the last two holes coming in today, which is what I am most proud of,” said Brooks.  “She should be proud of finishing that way as well.”

The reigning three-time National Player of the Year, Amanda Blumenherst, also carded a 74 on Tuesday to finish tied for 23rd with rounds of 72, 72 and 74 for a total of 218.  Blumenherst, who is from Scottsdale, Ariz., registered three birdies and 13 pars, but had one triple-bogey and one double-bogey to leave her with a 74. 

Sophomore Kim Donovan finished the weekend tied for 68th with a 228.  On Tuesday, she had a 77.  Junior Alison Whitaker continued to nurse a sore back and finished with an 81. 

As a team, Duke collected 13 birdies.  The Blue Devils will next play in the Betsy Rawls Longhorn Invitational from March 20-22. 

Duke Results
3 T3 18  Jennie Lee (10)   Duke  -6  F  -1  71 68 71 210 
T23 T22 34  Amanda Blumenherst (10)   Duke  +2  F  +2  72 72 74 218
T68 T59    Kimberly Donovan (10)   Duke  +12  F  +5  76 75 77 228 
T68 75    Yu Young Lee (10)   Duke  +12  F  +2  78 76 74 228 
- -    Alison Whitaker (10)   Duke  -  F  +9  W 77 81 -

 -d-u-k-e-

Team Results
1  1  UCLA   -14  F    -7  282  287  281  850 
2  2  Arizona State   -7  F    +1  284  284  289  857 
3  5  Oklahoma State   -3  F    -2  286  289  286  861 
4  4  Southern California   +8  F    +7  291  286  295  872 
5  7  Auburn   +10  F    +2  290  294  290  874 
T6  28  Florida, U of   +13  F    +4  292  293  292  877 
T6  9  LSU   +13  F    +1  286  302  289  877 
8  34  Tennessee   +16  F    +4  290  298  292  880 
9  13  North Carolina   +17  F    +6  296  291  294  881 
T10  16  Pepperdine   +18  F    +6  293  295  294  882 
T10  14  Purdue   +18  F    +5  294  295  293  882 
12  21  Arizona   +19  F    +3  293  299  291  883 
13  10  Duke   +20  F    +8  297  291  296  884 
14  6  Alabama, U. of   +21  F    +11  297  289  299  885 
15  35  Texas   +23  F    +11  291  297  299  887 
16  11  Vanderbilt   +26  F    +7  298  297  295  890 
17     Florida State Univ.   +36  F    +14  298  300  302  900 
18  47  UCF   +59  F    +27  308  300  315  923