HILTON HEAD, S.C. -- For the second time this season, third-ranked Duke has claimed a team title as the Blue Devils carded a 54-hole total of 862 at the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate to win by 10 strokes at the 6,142-yard, Par 71 Long Cove Club. Duke freshman Yu Liu claimed her first collegiate victory in a one-hole playoff.
As a team, the Blue Devils registered rounds of 284, 291 and 287 to finish the weekend with a 10-over-par, 862. Vanderbilt (872), Oklahoma (885), LSU (885), South Carolina (886), Wake Forest (887), North Carolina (892), Arkansas (892), Alabama (898), Stanford (899) and Auburn (899) rounded out the top 10.
Dukeās victory is the second of the season as the Blue Devils notched a win in the fall at the Tar Heel Invitational. It marks the third consecutive year Duke has won two or more tournaments in a season.
Liu, from of Beijing, China, totaled round of 69, 72 and 70 for a three-day total of two-under-par, 211 to finish in a tie for first through 54 holes along with LSUās Caroline Nistrup. On the first playoff hole, Liu carded a long putt for birdie to win the title.
She carded four birdies on the day, including three on her opening six holes to move to three-under-par on the day. Liu suffered a bogey on No. 14 and for the second day in a row had a double-bogey on the 374-yard, par four 15th to drop back to even par. She came back to roll in a birdie on the 15th hole and parred the final three holes.
Earning her third top 10 finish of the season, Celine Boutier carded rounds of 69, 71 and 72 for a three-day total of 212, which was tied second. She opened her day with bogeys on the sixth and eighth holes. Boutier, who is out of Montrouge, France, then notched her first birdie of the day on the 137-yard, par three 13th. She suffered a bogey on the next hole and then reeled off three consecutive pars, before notching a birdie on No. 18.
Freshman Esther Lee closed the weekend with a 3-over-par, 74, on Sunday as she collected two birdies on the day. After birding the 346-yard, par four 11th, Lee sat one-over-par, but suffered bogeys on No. 14 and No. 17 to finish the day. A native of Los Alamitos, Calif., Lee hit 11 greens, 12 fairways and had 32 putts in the final round, while posting a career-best tied 12th finish.
After recording rounds of 74 and 75 the first two days, senior Laetitia Beck turned in an even-par 71. A native of Caesarea, Israel, Beck kicked off her round with a bogey, but responded with birdies on No. 2 and No. 5 to move to 1-under par. She remained at one-under-par until the 346-yard, par four 11th hole where she suffered a bogey. Beck turned in a birdie on No. 13, bogey on the 14th before closing with four consecutive pars. She placed tied 15th in individual play, marking her fourth top-20 finish of the season.
Blue Devil senior Alejandra Cangrejo suffered an injured elbow on Friday in the first round missed the final two rounds.
