Rattana, Pioneers rally to win Agnes McAmis Memorial

2018 McAmis Memorial Champions (lt-rt): Coach Nick Forsberg, Mackenzie Butler, Cydney Murrell, Taylor White, Ciara Rattana, Katie Tomassoni, Asst. Coach Lindsay Butler
2018 McAmis Memorial Champions (lt-rt): Coach Nick Forsberg, Mackenzie Butler, Cydney Murrell, Taylor White, Ciara Rattana, Katie Tomassoni, Asst. Coach Lindsay Butler

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum women's golf team overcame a 19-stroke deficit to win the 21st annual Agnes McAmis Memorial Tournament Tuesday at Link Hills Country Club.  The Pioneers finished the two-day, 54-hole event with a team score of 936 including Tuesday's final round 296 to win by 11 shots.  It is the largest comeback in recorded program history.

Tusculum claims its first McAmis Memorial title since 2013 and its sixth championship in the 21-year history of the event.

Tusculum senior Ciara Rattana made her final competitive round at Link Hills a memorable one as she fired a two-under par 70 to finish with a three-round score of 74-80-70=224, winning by one shot over junior teammate Cydney Murrell.  For Rattana, who owns the second lowest career stroke average in program history, wins her first collegiate tournament in her final regular season event.

Murrell shot a one-under par 71 to posted 225 and earn a spot on the All-Tournament team.  The King University duo of Roxane Nataf (76-77-76=229) and Nicola Robertson (78-76-76=230) finished third and fourth, respectively while Newberry's Johana Lunackova (76-76-79=231) finished fifth to round out the All-Tournament Team.

Shorter posted a team total of 947 to earn runner-up honors.  Newberry was third with 950, followed by King (975), Union, Tenn. (1007), Tusculum B (1057) and UVa-Wise (1175).

Tusculum junior Katie Tomassoni carded a final round 75 to finish the tournament with 238 and tie for ninth place.  Junior Taylor White (84-87-80=251) tied for 16th place while rookie Mackenzie Butler (86-85-84=255) tied for 20th position.

Kelsey Haun led the Tusculum B team shooting 85 for three straight rounds to shoot 255 and tie for 20thMaggienella Basile placed 25th with 93-91-80=264 and freshman Meredith shot 91-85-89=265 and finish 26th.  Junior Trista Holder tied for 30th with 95-86-94=275 while senior Sayre Hopper finished 33rd with 93-99-99=291.

Tusculum returns to action Apr. 15-17 as they compete at the 2018 South Atlantic Conference Championship in Elgin, South Carolina at The Members Club at Woodcreek.