Anna Carling battles through

wind and rain to be jt fifth

Welsh international Anna Carling came up through the field on a final day of atrocious weather to finish joint fifth in a field of 90 players at the Claud Jacobs Intercollegiate 54-hole women's tournament at Victoria Country Club in the city of Victoria, Texas.

Anna, pictured right, from Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan club, is a freshman student at Arkansas State University. A past Glamorgan ladies county champion, Anna had rounds of 76, 78 and 75 for a total of 229 over the par-72 course of 6,028yd - and it was playing very long on that final day of wind and rain.

Grimsby's Jessica Schiele (Redlands Community College) had looked like she would certainly finish in the top 10 after scoring 76 in both her first two rounds. But she did not cope with the deterioration in the weather as well as Anna Carling did.

A final round of 81 for a total of 233 dropped Jessica down to joint 11th in the final standings - but still a very good effort from the Grimsby girl who has done well in her freshman season on the US women's college circuit.

Royal Liverpool GC member Laura Jones, a student at Oklahoma City University, had scores of 76, 84 and 80 for a share of 28th place on 240.

Kelly MacPhail (Redlands) from Manchester finished joint 53rd on 246 with scores of 81, 81 and 84.

Winner by three shots was Kristen Hill (Akron University) with a great final round of 72 to propel her up through the field to victory with a seven over par total of 223. Her earlier rounds were 74 and 77.

Texas State (913) won the team event ahead of Oklahoma (916) and Sam Houston State (938).

Arkansas State (951) came fifth.