Sept. 16, 2009
IRVING, Texas -
The 2009-10 Conference USA men's and women's golf season teed off with record-breaking performances as nine schools finished in the top 10, five grabbed top-three finishes and the SMU men's golf team finished first at the Gopher Invitational.
Kelly Kraft of SMU carded a course record, 64, on the final day of the Gopher Invitational to lead the Mustangs to a 10-shot victory in Wayzata, Minn. The junior carded a 15-under-par 201 (67-70-64) en route to meet medalist and eight shots better than the runner-up.
The Southern Miss, Tulane and Tulsa women were all set to participate in the Texas A&M "Mo" Morial Sept. 11-12, but due to heavy rains the 54-hole event was shortened to 18. Tulane fired a 297 and captured second place with Tulsa posting a 299 and earning third-place honors. Southern Miss earned a share of sixth place in the 11-team field.
C-USA Golf Notebook Sept. 16 FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
LARIE LYNCH, MARSHALL
Sr., Huntington, W. Virginia (Huntington HS)
Lynch led the Herd to a second-place finish in the Lady Bison Fall Classic this past weekend. The senior shot a tournament team-low, 73, on the final day of the tournament to give MU a nine-stroke advantage over third-place Columbia. Lynch tied for third with 224 (76-75-73) for the three rounds, just four strokes behind the leader (220).
MALE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
KELLY KRAFT, SMU
Jr., Denton, Texas (Ryan)
Kraft broke the Spring Hill Golf Club course record with an 8-under-par 64 on the final round of the Gopher Invitational and cruised to an eight-stroke win. The junior finished at 15-under par (67-70-64--201) to take medalist honors and lead the Mustangs to a 10-storke win (855).
