Laker of Red Wolves Women’s Golf Picks up Top-10 Finish at Jim West Challenge

All Access, Golf | February 19, 2013 by Sporting Life Arkansas | 0 Comments

Courtesy Arkansas State University Athletics Department

BLANCO, Texas (2/18/13) – Abi Laker and Marie Couffignal both finished among the top-20 individuals at the Jim West Challenge to lead the Arkansas State women’s golf team in its first spring tournament, but the Red Wolves shot a final-round 334 Sunday at the Vaaler Creek Golf Club that dropped them six places to ninth in the final standings.

Laker, a true freshman, finished with a combined 234 to claim a tie for 10th place, giving her four consecutive top-10 finishes and a top-20 standing in all five A-State tournament’s this season. Laker posted an 80 in both the first and third rounds, but carded a 74 in the second that was the best single-round score of the tournament by an ASU player.

Couffignal, a midyear transfer, completed her first career tournament at Arkansas State in 19th place with a 240. She shot an 81 and 83 for the first and third rounds, respectively, but turned in a personal-best 74 for the second 18 holes played Sunday.

The Red Wolves entered today’s competition tied for third place with Louisiana-Monroe and Eastern Michigan after recording a combined 640 for Sunday’s opening two rounds. A-State’s second-round 314 was its best of the tournament and followed its 326 scored for the first 18 holes. ASU’s 974 total put it only one stroke behind eighth-place Middle Tennessee and within a single-digit margin of fourth-place ULM.

“As a team, we definitely did not accomplish our goal today,” said ASU head coach M.J. Desbiens Shaw. “We have a lot of things to work on these next four days before we leave for Florida. This (Sir Pizza Cards Challenge, Feb. 25-26) will be our second event of the season and will have some great competition. I am pleased with Abi and Marie’s finishes but I know they are still disappointed in their round today. The course was set up very difficult, but we learned a lot from our mistakes.”

Host-school Texas State claimed the tournament title with a 930, while East Tennessee State finished second and North Texas third among the 12-team field.

Also competing for Arkansas State, Anna Carling finished 30th with a 246 (80-82-84), Jennifer Loiacano tied for 43rd with a 254 (85-82-91) and Clara Tefteller 64th with a 276 (93-95-88).

The Red Wolves return to action Feb. 25-26 at the Sir Pizza Cards Challenge, hosted by the University of Maryland at the Don Shula Golf Club in Miami, Fla.