JODI EWART SCORES FIRST US

WIN IN THRILLING MOUNTAIN

WEST CHAMPIONSHIP FINISH

New Mexico University first-year student Jodi Ewart from Middleham, Yorkshire won the individual title at the Mountain West Conference women's college championship after a neck-and-neck finish with French girl, Valentine Derrey, who was a beaten finalist in the British girls' open championship at Lanark in 2004.

Jodi, pictured right, won by one stroke after a final round of one-over-par 72 for a seven-over total of 220 at the challenging par-72, 6,210yd Entrada at Snow Canyon course at St George, Utah.

Apart from chalking up her first win on the American women's college circuit - and becoming only the second New Mexico University freshman to be a winner - Miss Ewart was named Co-Player of the Year (2006-2007) and also Freshman of the Year for the Mountain West Women's Conference.

Jodi had to keep her nerve to hole a final putt of 4ft at the 18th for victory.

"The last four or five holes were extremely nerve wracking," explained Ewart. "I've been in that situation before so I just tried to stay calm. However, my hands were shaking on the last putt."
Ewart and Derrey started the final round tied for second place, two shots behind Brigham Young's Rachel Newren. While Newren droppped herself out of contention with a four-over 39 to the turn, Jodi and Valentine were steady in the early going before trading several leads over the final nine holes.

Jodi birdied the eighth and 11th but bogeyed the 14th, 15th and 16th.

Valentine birdied the first, 11th and 124th but bogeyed the 12th and 17th and had a disastrous triple bogey 8 at the long 16th.
Ewart held a one-shot lead after Derrey bogeyed the par-3 12th. Derrey regained the top spot when she birdied the par-3 14th and Ewart made bogey.
Derrey pushed her advantage to two shots after Ewart bogeyed the par-4 15th.
Derrey, however, lost the tournament at 16 when she ran up a triple-bogey 8. Ewart had her third straight bogey on 16, but the twosome were tied with two holes remaining.
The final lead of the tournament was in Ewart's hands, though, after Derrey made bogey 5 on 17. Ewart parred the final two holes to take medalist honors.
Ewart's first college season has been impressive - if not historic. Never finishing lower than 15th place in nine tournaments this year, she is on track to break her university's season scoring record of 73.40 set by Sweden's Mikaela Backstedt (the only other freshmen to win an event) a year ago.

Ewart has a 72.96 average after 27 rounds with at least one tournament remaining.
Next event for Jodi and the Lobos is the NCAA regional championship, starting on May 10.

HOW THEY FINISHED

Par 213 (3 x 71)

220 Jodi Ewart (New Mexico) 77 71 72.

221 Valentine Derrey (Texas Christian) 76 72 73.

223 Rachel Newren (Brigham Young) 72 74 77.

TEAM TOTALS

903 Texas Christian. 904 Brigham Young. 926 New Mexico.