The Eastern women’s golf team ends their 2017 spring season in eighth place at the Ohio Valley Conference Championship with a total score of 1,001 over three rounds.

Murray State took home first place honors as a team as well as having the top golfer. Moe Folke was the individual winner with an 8-under score.

For the Panthers, seniors Chloe Wong, Alexandra Pickens, and Madison Burgett ended their collegiate career on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Train in Owens Cross Roads, Alabama.  Leading the seniors was Wong who shot a 78 and finished with a score of 247, tied for 35th.

Wong said there are a lot of emotions for the Panthers right now.

“It’s bittersweet,” Wong said.  “We have three seniors so there were a lot of emotions throughout the round.”

Despite the fact it was Wong’s final tournament, she managed to decrease her score every round.  Wong said she avoided the thought of Wednesday being her last collegiate round, and at the end of the day, she is satisfied with how she performed.

“I kept that thought out of my mind all day so it wouldn’t affect me,” Wong said.  “Overall, yes.  I started off rough but came back and did better every day.”

The Panther who placed the highest was junior Anne Bahr as she finished tied for 30th. Bahr shot a 79 in her third round, six strokes less than Tuesday’s round and finishing the tournament with an overall 243 score. 

Bahr said even though it is sad to watch the seniors go, she will remember the fun they had.  In regards to her tournament play on Wednesday, she had a more positive attitude than she did Tuesday.

“I’m sad to see them go,” Bahr said.  “It’s been a fun three years with them.  I had a better overall attitude during today’s round, and I think that’s what really helped.  I was pretty down on myself yesterday.”

Not to mention, Bahr has been dealing with a hand injury she suffered on Monday.  She said her hand injury made the first two rounds of the tournament more challenging.

“I had my hand slammed in a door on Monday afternoon,” Bahr said, “which made these past two days harder than I thought they’d be coming into this tournament.”

Senior Alexandra Pickens was the third highest placed Panther as she finished 41st with a third round score of 95, totaling a 263.  Following her in 42nd place was a tie between senior Madison Burgett and junior Hannah Magda, both scoring a 264. 

Adam Shay can be reached at 581-2812 or acshay@eiu.edu