Ellie Givens finishes second


and Denver win team title


in BYU Dixie Classic



Former English girls champion Ellie Givens (Denver University) from Darlington finished second after the disqualification of the leader, team-mate Stephanie Sherlock, at the BYU Dixie Classic, played at the Entrada at Snow Canyon Golf Club, St George's in Utah.
German-born Canadian Sherlock appeared to have won the individual title with rounds of 72, 70 and 72 for a two-under-par total of 214 over the 5981yd, par-72 course. But it transpired she had taken an illegal drop during her second round and was, therefore, disqualified from the three-round final totals.
Instead of providing a notable 1-2-3, Denver had to settle for a still praiseworthy 1-2 with Dawn Shockley scoring 74, 72 and 70 for a level par aggregate of 216 and a five-shot victory over team-mate Ellie Givens (pictured above) who had rounds of 74, 74 and 73 for 221.
Ellie had eight birdies over the three rounds.
Another Denver team player, Ireland's Sarah Faller, who had started the tournament so well with a 69, fell away with later rounds of 77 and 80, dropping from joint second to joint eighth in a field of 83 in the final standings with a total of 226.
Despite the trauma of having the leading player disqualified, Denver University were able to score their first team victory of the 2008-2009 season. Sherlock's third-round score could be counted and Denver totalled 877, 22 shots ahead of runners-up Colorado State with Florida (915) third in a field of 15 teams.