HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. — Freshman Ava Merrill’s final round was enough to seal her first top-five collegiate finish this weekend at the Ron Moore Intercollegiate in Colorado. Vanderbilt women’s golf finished out the tournament with an 8-under-par 280 final-round performance Sunday.
The Commodores placed third overall as a team at a combined 15-under par over 54 holes. California won the event at 21-under par, edging out host Denver on Sunday by one stroke.
“I am really proud of the fight we showed today,” said head coach Greg Allen. “We got the help we needed with Denver backing up and we got really close, but in the end, we made some mistakes that cost us going low enough to catch them and Cal.”
Merrill led the Dores again on Sunday with a 3-under-par 69 score capped off by three straight birdies to close her round. She tied for fourth place individually with a 7-under-par total for the weekend.
“What a week for Ava,” said Allen. “She is absolutely tough as nails and was really clutch for us this week without Celina Sattelkau in the lineup.”
Sophomore Tillie Claggett also notched a 3-under-par 69 on Sunday with six birdies. Claggett’s ninth-place finish is her third top-10 performance in a row as she has not found herself outside that group all fall season.
“Tillie continues to impress,” said Allen. “Even without her best stuff this week she was able to get another top-10 finish.”
Virginie Ding finished with a 2-under-par 70 on Sunday. Lynn Lim and Charlene Chung were both even par. Competing as an individual, Macie Brown scored a 77.
Vanderbilt women’s golf will head across the pond later this month to compete at the St Andrews Links Collegiate in St Andrews, Scotland.
