STOCKBRIDGE, Ga. – The FGCU women's golf team concluded play at the John Kirk Panther Intercollegiate on Tuesday with a 305 final-round. After previous rounds of 300 and 303, FGCU totals 908 for a fifth place finish in the 15-team field. The outcome marks the Eagles fourth top-five finish of the spring season.
 
Kelsy Holbert produced a team-low total score of 222 after rounds of 74, 73 and 75. Her six-over finish tied her for eighth in the field and her 222 total marks a career-low for the sophomore.
 
Murray State claimed the tournament crown with a total score of 888 after winning a one-hole tiebreaker over Eastern Kentucky. Kansas State took third with a 890. Winthrop filled out the top four, finishing just one shot ahead of FGCU with a total score of 907.
 
"We were definitely disappointed with 305 today," said head coach Sarah Trew. "We wanted to go out there today and pick up a couple spots. However, we're playing much more consistently, and if that's our bad round, we'll take it. I'm seeing great improvements from the entire team. We're learning how to get the ball in the hole even when we don't have things go our way. We have a couple of weeks before conference and need to focus on putting and our short game. If we can clean up those area's we'll be in good shape."
 
"I'm especially proud of Kelsy this week for her top-10 finish. She's been working so hard n her game and it's exciting to see how it's paid off. I think with each round she plays, she gains more and more confidence."
 
Holbert (Lutz, Fla./Steinbrenner HS) had another great showing on the front nine with three birdies. She totals 11 throughout the three-day event. Her minus-two score through the first nine holes offset her five bogeys on the backend
 
One of the most consistent golfers in the Eagles lineup, Megan Blonien (Altus, Okla./Altus HS) shot a 77 on day-three of the event to tie for 20th place with a total score of 227 (+11). Blonien has now finished in the top-20 in seven out of eight tournaments this year.
 
Madeline Marck-Sherk (Ridgeway, Ontario/Ridgeway Crystal Beach HS) shot par on nine holes and added two birdies, but a triple on hole 5 followed by a double on hole 12 kept her from achieving a lower score. With a 78 in her final round, the sophomore finished one shot behind Blonien with a total score of 228.
 
Freshman Ailsa Clark (Navarre, Fla./Navarre HS) produced a score of 81 in today's final round. Her total score of 240 ties her for 59th in the field.
 
Junior Madison Easterbrook (Burlington, Ontario/Aldershot HS) carded rounds of 78 and 75 in rounds two and three, but disqualified in the first round.
 
The Eagles will enjoy a two-week break before entering conference play. The three-day ASUN Championship begins on Sunday, Apr. 16.
 
FGCU Lineup
T8 Kelsy Holbert: 74+73+75 = 222 (+6)
T20 Megan Blonien: 77+73+77 = 227 (+11)
T25 Madeline Marck-Sherk: 71+79+78 = 228 (+12)
T59 Ailsa Clark: 78+81+81 = 240 (+24)
82 Madison Easterbrook: DQ+78+75
 
COMPLETE FIELD (Golfstat rankings as of 3/21)
1. 92 Murray State: 293+302+293 = 888 (+24)
2. 99 Eastern Kentucky: 294+296+298 = 888 (+24)
3. 48 Kansas State: 298+293+299 = 890 (+26)
4. 162 Winthrop: 300+299+308 = 907 (+43)
5. 136 FGCU: 300+303+305 = 908 (+44)
6. 150 Oral Roberts: 296+309+304 = 909 (+45)
7. 105 Tulsa: 303+298+310 = 911 (+47)
8. 149 Georgia State: 310+306+307 = 923 (+59)
9. 153 Western Michigan: 315+307+304 = 926 (+62)
10. 175 Appalachian State: 312+309+309 = 930 (+66)
11. 158 UAB: 311+310+316 = 937 (+73)
12. 178 Western Carolina: 315+312+315 = 942 (+78)
13. 200 South Alabama: 317+315+316 = 948 (+84)
14. 196 ULM: 329+303+320 = 952 (+88)
15. 230 Central Michigan: 338+327+318 = 983 (+119)
*Murray State won one-hole playoff over Eastern Kentucky
 
COACH TREW
Head coach Sarah Trew recently is currently in her 6th season at the helm of the FGCU women's golf team after being named ASUN Coach of the Year in 2016. Trew took over in 2011 and has since guided the Eagles to the program's best-ever finish in the ASUN Tournament and to 20 top-10 finishes. A year ago, Trew led the team to several records on and off the course. The 2013-14 squad set a new single-season scoring record with a team average of 307.88, while also setting a new benchmark academically. The spring of 2015 saw the Eagles again take third place at the ASUN Championship, and recording their best team score of the season while 2016 again set a new standard. The 2015-16 squad recorded a new program best with a 305.29 average and took a second-place finish at the conference tournament. In that event, the Eagles carded a team score of 290 to set the program's new record and earned the top finish in program history.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-the minute information and a behind-the-scenes look at the FGCU women's golf program, follow on Twitter at @FGCU_WGolf and on Facebook at /FGCUWGolf.