Rainout gives USCB’s Franzi Knoetsch her 2nd collegiate victory
USC Beaufort’s Franzi Knoetsch claimed the second collegiate victory of her career, declared the winner of the Coastal Georgia Fall Invitational when thunderstorms washed out Tuesday’s final round on Jekyll Island.
Riley Schenk likewise wound up taking home runner-up honors from the men’s competition, as storms moving through the area left Monday’s results as final. The Sand Sharks tied for third in the women’s event, while the men placed fifth.
Knoetsch was the only player to break par at Jekyll Island’s Pine Lakes layout on Monday, carding a 1-under-par 71 that left her one shot ahead of Faulkner’s Anna Reid and Palm Beach Atlantic’s Victoria Hays. Her first college victory also came in Georgia last year, winning the Callaway Gardens Invitational.
Freshman Blanca Porta tied for seventh in her college debut, as USCB shared third with Palm Beach Atlantic in team scoring, 12 shots behind Faulkner.
Schank turned in rounds of 70-68 at Sea Island Club, finishing one stroke behind Rasmus Lind of Lindsey Wilson (Ky.). A tight team race saw the Sand Sharks finish eight shots behind host Coastal Georgia.
U.S. WOMEN’S MID-AMATEUR
Late bogey costs USCB’s Sunderman: New USCB women’s coach Kristyl Sunderman also found herself heading home a little early Tuesday, when a bogey on the 18th hole left her vanquished by Katie Miller, 1-up, on the second day of match play at the Kahkwa Club in Erie, Pa.
Sunderman had battled back from a 2-down deficit to square the match with a birdie at the par-4 16th hole and a par at No.17. But she couldn’t keep the momentum going at the par-4 18th, making bogey while Miller won with a par.
U.S. MID-AMATEUR
Coakley ousted with late rally: Former Bluffton golfer Kenny Coakley couldn’t find a way to close out a 3-up lead at the turn, sent home with a 1-up defeat to 2014 champion Scott Harvey in the second round at Elverson, Pa.
Coakley, now a Minnesota resident, did not win a hole on the back nine of the Old Course at Stonewall, making three bogeys and a double bogey over the final six holes.
Former Hilton Head Island High teacher Todd White, now living in Spartanburg, was eliminated in Monday’s opening round of match play.
This story was originally published September 13, 2016 at 3:13 PM with the headline "Rainout gives USCB’s Franzi Knoetsch her 2nd collegiate victory."