US COLLEGE NEWS

Disappointing sixth place finish for

second-round leader Natasha

Second after one round, leading after two but joint sixth after the final round.

That was the disappointing end for Natasha Podmore, a senior year student at San Francisco University from Appleton, Warrington, to the Challenge at Onion Creek women's college tournament.

Natasha, pictured right, had rounds of 65, 71 and 75 for a one-over-par total of 211 at a par-70 course of 5,939yd at Onion Creek Country Club near Austin, Texas.

Runner-up in the prestigious Edean Ihlanfeldt Invitational last month, Podmore looked on track to win this one until she lost her momentum and the flow of birdies dried up over the final round.

She had nine birdies over the first two rounds, including an ouward half of 31 in her first-round 65

But on her final circuit Podmore, starting at the eighth, had to wait until her third last hole before she achieved her solitary birdie. By then a succession of bogeys had seen her overtaken by five players, two of them San Francisco team-mates.

But San Francisco, team leaders with 18 holes to go, also lost their grip on that trophy and finished second, three shots behind Texas A&M who produced the winner, Julia Bond (67-70-69 for four-under 206) and the runner-up, Ashley Freeman (74-66-67 for 207).

On the brighter side for San Francisco, it was the lowest final team total in the college's golf programme history; their first round team score was also a college low and Tinna Johannsdottir's 208 third-placed total was a record low for San Francisco.

Hannah Burke, a final year student at Baylor University, Texas, from Hertfordshire, finished strongly with a 69 after rounds of 74 and 71. Birdies at the third, 12th and 16th helped her finished joint 15th on 214, which was not a bad performance at all, considering she had two double bogeys in her first round.

Just like Natasha Podmore, Hannah had nine birdies over the 54 holes.

Hannah Lovelock from Surrey, a sophomore student at Missouri University, made it three English top-20 finishers with scores of 73, 68 and 74 for 215 and a share of 18th place. A double gogey 6 at the third in her final round was costly as was a triple bogey 7 at the 14th in her first round. Strangely enough, Lovelock also had a final total of nine birdies.

Nicola Race from Essex, the fourth English-born player in the field of 108, had scores of 79, 67 and 73 for 219 and a share of 42nd place. Nicola's second-round form was reminiscent of her performances for the junior Redland College over the past year or two. She had a bag of eight birdies, four of them in the second round, but saddled herself with a triple bogey 7 and a double bogey 6 in her first round.

Hannah and Nicola were the highest-placed of the five Missouri University players. The fact tht Missouri finished 20th of the 21 teams suggests that the college is relying strongly on the two English girls to carry the team.

LEADING TOTALS
Par 210 (3x70)

206 Julia Borland (Texas A&M) 67 70 69.

207 Ashley Freeman (Texas A&M) 74 66 67.

208 Tinna Johannsdottir (San Francisco) 64 73 71.

209 Krista Puisite (Texas State) 67 71 71.

210 Christina Stockton (San Francisco) 70 71 69.

211 Natasha Podmore (San Francisco) 65 71 75, Kimberley Kaufman (Texas Tech) 73 73 65.

Selected scores:

214 Hannah Burke (Baylor) 74 71 69 (jt 15th).

215 Hannah Lovelock (Missouri) 73 68 74 (jt 18th).

219 Nicola Race (Missouri) 79 67 73 (jt 42nd).

LEADING TEAMS

839 Texas A&M, 842 San Francisco, 863 Texas State. 864 Texas.

Selected total:

898 Missouri.

21 teams took part.