The Mercer women’s golf team and Head Coach Gary Guyer recently pulled out a much-needed victory in the JU Classic hosted by Jacksonville University.
On day one, Mercer sophomore Lacey Fears fired a score of 71, one under par, to lead the entire tournament. Junior Aurelie Wiriath was tied for second after day one shooting an impressive 74. Sophomore Mary Alice Murphy was just one stroke behind Wiriath, shooting a 75. Junior Kaitlin Marrin finished with a score of 76, while freshman Sarah Louise Brown shot an 80. Mercer’s score of 296 was good for first place on the day leading the host school by 10 strokes.
“We played really well today,” Mercer head coach Gary Guyer said. “We didn’t play great today, but we were consistent. I’m proud of everyone for staying inside themselves and playing the golf course.”
On day two, sophomore Lacey Fears led the team by firing a 73 in the Jacksonville University Classic and Mercer held its lead on the six-team field. Weather was not kind to any team, as the course was made more difficult by bad conditions.
Fears finished the day at the top of the individual leader board for the second-straight day and started Tuesday’s final round with a three-stroke advantage over the next closest player. Her 73 on Monday tied for the second-best individual round of the day.
Mary Alice Murphy and Aurelie Wiriath were tied for sixth place individually with 36-hole totals of 153. Murphy finished with a 78 on Tuesday, while Wiriath used 79 strokes on the day. Sarah Louise Brown required 81 strokes while Kaitlin Marrin shot an 83. Marrin held sole possession of 15thplace, while Brown was a part of a five-way tie for 19th.
Mercer sophomore Lacey Fears put the finishing touches on a beyond impressive three-day performance with a 76 in the final round to capture the event’s individual championship. As a team, the Bears shot 301 in the final round at the Hidden Hills Country Club and finished the event 17 strokes ahead of the next closest team.
Mercer’s 56-hole total of 908 gave the team its second tournament title of the year after winning its own Eat a Peach Collegiate on Sep. 19.
Coach Guyer was more than happy with his squad. “We started out slow today but the girls fought back and finished strong,” Guyer said. “This team is good at closing the deal,” he added.
Mercer’s team finish marked the sixth time Guyer has led the Bears to a tournament title since taking control of the program in 2007.
Mercer returns competitive play on Feb. 26 at the Edwin Watts/Kiawah Island Classic. That event will be contested over three days at the Cougar Point Golf Club in Kiawah Island, S.C.
