Michigan Ties for Ninth at Mercedes-Benz Championship

Sunday, September 22

Knoxville, Tenn.

8:30 AM

Michigan

Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championships

Michigan Ties for Ninth at Mercedes-Benz Championship

9/22/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf

Sept. 22, 2013

Site: Knoxville, Tenn.
Course: Cherokee Country Club (par 71, 5,897 yards)
Tournament: Mercedes-Benz Championship
U-M Team Standing: Tie-9th Place of 17 Teams (296-297/593)
Top U-M Individual: Lauren Grogan, tie-25th (72-75/147)
Next U-M Event: Mon-Tue., Sept. 30-Oct. 1 -- at Challenge at Onion Creek (Austin, Texas)

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- An even-par 72 from senior Alyssa Shimel (Pemberville, Ohio/Eastwood HS) and a one-over 73 from sophomore Catherine Peters (Clarence, N.Y./Clarence HS) highlighted the final round as the University of Michigan women's team opened the 2013-14 season tying for ninth with a 593 36-hole total today (Sunday, Sept. 22) at the Mercedes-Benz Championship held at the Cherokee Country Club.

In Friday's (Sept. 20) opening round, junior Lauren Grogan (Columbus, Ohio/Bishop Watterson HS) paced U-M to a 296 total with her even-par 72, while freshman Grace Choi (Dallas, Texas/Woodrow Wilson HS) opened her career carding a one-over 73. The team tally put the Wolverines in the 11th position on the leaderboard. Heavy rains hampered second-round play Saturday (Sept. 21) as the scheduled 18 holes were eventually cancelled, reducing the event to 36 total holes.

With ideal playing conditions in today's final round, Shimel's four birdies helped her post an even-par 72, while Peters' one-over 73 gave the Wolverines a closing 297 team total.

Individually, Grogan was the top-finishing Wolverine, tying for 25th at 147 (72-75), while Peters was a shot behind at 148 (75-73) -- good for a tie for 32nd. Capitalizing on her final round, Shimel tied for 39th at 149 (77-72), and Choi tied for 46th at 150 (73-77) in her first collegiate start. Senior Yugene Lee (Athens, Ga./Oconee County HS) rounded out the Maize and Blue starting five as she tied for 64th at 153 (76-77).

The Wolverines will have more than a week off following the season opener before heading back to competition when they travel to Austin, Texas, for Texas State's Challenge at Onion Creek, Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 30-Oct. 1. The 54-hole tournament will be held at the Onion Creek Club. U-M's last appearance at the event resulted in a tie for runner-up in 2011.

Final Team Standings

 1. Arkansas                282-281 = 563 (-5) 2. South Carolina          279-292 = 571 3. Tulane                  290-289 = 579 4. Tennessee               285-296 = 581 5. Central Florida         286-296 = 582 6. Louisville              283-302 = 585 7. Notre Dame              298-290 = 588 8. Chattanooga             292-299 = 591 9. MICHIGAN                296-297 = 593    Mississippi State       293-300 = 59311. College of Charleston   301-297 = 59812. Campbell                298-301 = 59913. Penn State              292-309 = 60114. Texas San Antonio       299-303 = 60215. Mississippi             294-309 = 603    Rollins College         298-305 = 60317. Missouri                299-305 = 604

Top Individuals

 1. Emily Tubert, Arkansas               69-68 = 137 (-5) 2. Silvia Garces, Tulane                71-69 = 140    Gaby Lopez, Arkansas                 72-68 = 140    Regina Plascencia, Arkansas          69-71 = 140    Samantha Swinehart, South Carolina   69-71 = 140    Chessey Thomas, Tennessee            70-70 = 140 7. Mary Fran Hillow, South Carolina     70-71 = 141 8. Katelyn Dambaugh, South Carolina     68-74 = 142    Gemma Dryburgh, Tulane               71-71 = 142    Ally McDonald, Mississippi State     70-72 = 142    Laura Restrepo, Louisville           70-72 = 142

Michigan Individuals

T25. Lauren Grogan      72-75 = 147T32. Catherine Peters   75-73 = 148T39. Alyssa Shimel      77-72 = 149T46. Grace Choi         73-77 = 150T64. Yugene Lee         76-77 = 153

N O T E S

• Michigan has not played in a 36-hole event in nearly five full seasons. U-M last played in a 36-hole event at the 2009 Red Rocks Invitational (Feb. 28-March 1), a streak of 49 consecutive tournaments.

• The Mercedes-Benz Championship was the first tournament under new head coach Jan Dowling.

• Grace Choi made her collegiate debut as well as her first career start.

Q U O T E S

Michigan Head Coach Jan Dowling
On season opening weekend ... "I cannot tell you how much I learned from watching this team compete and play their practice round. I was thoroughly impressed with a great many aspects of each of our girl's games. That is such a huge positive. Finishing in the top 10 was decent. Was it our best finish ever? No, but we beat some teams we have not in the past, and this is one of our toughest fields of the fall."

On what she is taking away the most from the weekend ... "The positive from this weekend is our team has a ton of potential. They have a positive outlook and they possess the ability to be coached and that makes my job easier. The way they executed our game plan was impressive, and I have to say our future is bright. Again, it was a wonderful experience to watch the team compete for two days. I wish it could have been three. I just learned so much about this group. I cannot tell you how excited I am about that. We will continue to work hard and keep improving. We have plenty of competition ahead of us over the next two months, and I cannot wait to see what we do."

Contact: Tom Wywrot (734) 763-4423