Essex girl Laura wins Ohio

Valley Conference title

Laura Cutler from Essex, a first-year student at Jacksonville State University, Alabama, scored her first win on the American women's college circuit on Wednesday and helped her college to win their conference title..

She won the Ohio Valley Conference individual women's championship with scores of 78, 76 and 76 for a total of 230 over the par-72, 6154yd course at Shoals Golf Club, Florence in Alabama.

Laura was also named the Ohio Valley Conference co-freshman of the year.

Laura won by a single shot from JSU team-mate Mercedes Huarte who scored 81, 75 and 75 for 231. She survived a triple bogey 7 at the 12th in an inward half of 40 when she was hanging for dear life to score a notable win.

On the outward half, Laura had birdied the fourth and fifth but bogeyed the third and sixth in reaching the turn in level par 36.

Three players tied for third place on 234.

The winning Jacksonville State University team included a second English player -Portia Abbott from Wiltshire. She finished joint 13th on 241 with scores of 83, 77 and 81.

Andrea Downer (Murray State Univesity) from Surrey finished joint 28th in the field of 39 with a total of 251 (85-81-85).

Jacksonville State University (934) won the Ohio Valley Conference team title by the runaway margin of 21 shots from Murray State University (955) with Easterm Kentucky University third on 957. Eight teams took part.

LEADING INDIVIDUAL FINAL TOTALS

Par 216 (3 x 72). 6154yd

230 Laura Cutler (Jacksonville State) 78 76 76.

231 Mercedes Huarte (Jacksonville State) 81 75 75.

Three players tied for third place on 234.

Other totals:

241 Portia Abbott (Jacksonville State) 83 77 81 (jt 13th).

251 Andrea Downer (Murray State) 85 81 85 9 (jt 28th).

LEADING TEAM FINAL TOTALS

934 Jacksonville State.

955 Murray State.

957 Eastern Kentucky.