University of Colorado Athletics
Fellahauer Cards Ace/Buffs Finish 10th
April 23, 2003
Columbia, Mo. - Not only will senior Jolene Fellhauer go down in the annals of the program with the school record low round 67, but she will go down in recording the first hole in one in program history, and only one at the seventh annual Big 12 Championships, while the Buffs showed the largest first to third round improvement with a final round 311 to finish 10th here Wednesday.
Using a 6-iron, Fellhauer aced the par-3 150-yard 15th hole (CU's sixth of the day) on the Country Club of Missouri course in Columbia. Colorado's 311 was its third lowest in a conference championship round and 21 strokes better than its first round 332. Combined with Tuesday's 238, CU's 54-hole total 971 is its fourth lowest team total in a conference meet.
"Our only goal today was to move up again, and we did. We definitely had a much better final round," said head coach Anne Kelly.
Leading after two rounds, host Missouri (909) couldn't overcome a hot Oklahoma State team, which carded a 296-304 final two rounds to win the school's third straight team title, fourth overall, with a three-day 909 for the one-stroke win only second one-stroke team victory in the seven-year conference championship history. Nebraska's Sarah Sasse took medallist honors carding a 220.
As she had done through the first 36 holes, sophomore Allison Rella was Colorado's low score with a team tournament best 80-79-78-237 for a Big 12 career best finish of 29th. A year ago in Manhattan, Kan., she carded a 54-hole 254 and finished 53rd.
"I definitely played better this year. The weather was a real factor last year," explained Rella. "Even though I had a better tournament, I'm still disappointed in this last week. I felt that I was hitting the ball better, when you have to count four doubles, and a triple, that's going to cost you a top-10 finish, that's for sure."
Erin Kerr had a second to third round 12-stroke improvement, carding a 1-over-par 73 on today's loop. But it wasn't enough to make up for her first and second round 81-85 as the senior had to settle for a share of 33rd, her lowest finish in this tournament since finishing 38th as a sophomore in '01.
Despite her ace and going 1 or 2-under on the par 3s, Fellhauer double bogeyed two holes sans the hole in one and carded an 81 in the final round to finish 48th with a total 247. Maria Persson Gulda played better with a final loop 79, but finished her postseason initiation in sole possession of 52nd with a three-day total 249. Joey Stetser never recovered from high rounds Monday and Tuesday and the trend continued Wednesday with an 86 to finish 60th.
The fate of the Buffs' NCAA hopes are now in the hands of the selection committee, which will be sending out 21 team invitations to the NCAA West Regionals in Tempe, Ariz., on Monday. While they made up some ground today, it may not be enough for Kelly and Co. to burst the bubble they've been riding.
"It's a tough call because this was not a regional tournament (Colorado is the only Big 12 school seeded in the West)," said Kelly. "If we make it, we will be the last in. There are a lot of ties and it will be a tough decision for the committee members."
Rella echoed Kelly's sentiments, "We're disappointed. We wanted to lower our scoring average to help us get into regionals, but this tournament didn't help us out. But we've got two great seniors here that had solid final rounds and will go out on a good note."
BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIPS (Columbia, Mo.) 1. Missouri........304-300-306- 910 2. Oklahoma State..309-296-304- 909 3. Texas...........307-302-309- 918 4. Oklahoma........314-305-304- 923 5. Nebraska........311-307-308- 926 6. Kansas State....312-310-314- 936 7. Baylor..........321-313-313- 947 8. Texas A&M.......321-306-322- 949 9. Iowa State......326-312-322- 960 10. COLORADO........332-328-311- 971 11. Kansas..........325-322-326- 973 12. Texas Tech......329-332-317- 978
COLORADO PLAYERS t-29. Allison Rella.........80-79-78- 237 t-33. Erin Kerr.............81-85-73- 239 t-48. Jolene Fellhauer......88-78-81- 247 52. Maria Persson Gulda...84-86-79- 249 60. Joey Stetser..........87-88-86- 261