BYU women's golf: Keith earns her first top-ten finish, team finishes tied for 12th

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The BYU women’s golf team finished in 12th place, shooting a combined 17 over-par in round three of the Dick McGuire Invitational after another strong day from senior Amanda Keith.

Keith birdied two of her last three holes, to shoot a third-round 74 (+1), finishing tied for ninth overall among the 93 golfers in the field. Keith’s ninth place finish marks the first time in her collegiate career that she was able to place in the top ten at a tournament.

“Amanda’s tournament finish was excellent,” head coach Carrie Roberts said. “It’s always good to get a top ten. She’s worked really hard and that’s given her a lot of confidence. The harder you work the more confidence it gives you, and that’s what it’s doing for her.”

Sophomores Maria Yacaman and Lauren Atkinson finished close behind Keith to help BYU finish the 54-hole tournament with a 39-over-par 915 total. Yacaman finished round three with a four over-par 77, while Atkinson shot a five over-par 78.

West Coast Conference foe Pepperdine finished the tournament in ninth place, eight strokes ahead of the Cougars.

The Cougars are back in action next Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 24-25, as they travel to Pullman, Wash., to compete in the 2012 Cougar Cup.

Chris Scheitinger is a student at Brigham Young University studying Public Relations. Contact him at cscheitinger@gmail.com