Las Cruces, N.M. - Katelyn Wright fired an even-par 72 to claim the best tournament finish of her career by tying for third with a career-best 217 at the Price's "Give 'Em Five" Invitational on Wednesday.
Wright's three-round total on the par-72, 6,319-yard layout at the New Mexico State Golf Course, eclipsed her previous career best of 218 at the 2012 Westbrook Spring Invitational. Her tie for third marked the first top-five finish of her career and her third straight top-20 effort to open the season.
The native of Incline Village, Nev., finished four strokes back of individual medalist Yupaporn Kawinpakorn of Kansas, who closed with a 54-hole total of 213 (69-71-73), while leading the 76-player field from start to finish. Idaho's Kaitlyn Oster finished second at 216, just one shot ahead of Wright and Washington State's Mallory Kent.
Husker freshman Cassie Deeg (Hugo, Minn.) added the best tournament finish of her young career by tying for 12th with a career-best 221 over three rounds. Deeg shot a 76 on Wednesday, after opening the tournament with rounds of 75 and 70.
As a team, Nebraska tied for seventh in the 13-team field with a season-best three-round tournament score of 900. The Huskers closed the event with a 300 in the final round. Kansas won the team competition with a three-round total of 871, while Washington State took second at 881.
Junior Steffi Neisen (New Prague, Minn.) helped the Huskers with a 75 on Wednesday to close with a three-round total of 230 in a tie for 46th. Redshirt freshmen Morgan Smejkal (Columbus, Neb.) and Jackie O'Doherty (Lincoln, Neb.) both managed rounds of 77 on Wednesday. Smejkal finished in a tie for 53rd with a career-best 232, while O'Doherty tied for 64th with a career-best 238.
Redshirt freshman Cassidy Stelzmiller added a 79 while playing as an individual outside Nebraska's lineup. The Placerville, Calif., native added a career-best tournament total of her own with a 238 to finish in a tie for 64th.
Nebraska returns to action next week at the Missouri State/Payne Stewart Memorial in Springfield, Mo. The two-day event begins with two rounds on Monday, Oct. 15, before concluding with a final round on Tuesday, Oct. 16.
Price's "Give 'Em Five" Invitational
New Mexico State Golf Course
Par 72, 6,319 Yards
Oct. 8-10, 2012
Final Team Results
1. Kansas - 294-289-288-871
2. Washington State - 296-296-289-881
3. Idaho - 290-297-296-883
4. Colorado State - 297-289-305-891
5. Boise State - 301-301-291-893
6. Nevada - 297-298-301-896
T7. Nebraska - 301-299-300-900
T7. UTEP - 308-302-290-900
9. BYU - 303-297-301-901
10. Cincinnati - 303-303-298-904
11. New Mexico State - 299-304-302-905
12. Utah Valley - 314-303-303-920
13. North Texas - 305-303-314-922
Individual Results
1. Yupaporn Kawinpakorn, Kansas - 69-71-73-213
2. Kaitlyn Oster, Idaho - 73-71-72-216
T3. Katelyn Wright, Nebraska - 71-74-72-217
T3. Mallory Kent, Washington State - 71-73-73-217
T5. Rachel Choi, Idaho - 73-74-71-218
T5. Betsy Kelly, Colorado State - 74-70-74-218
T7. Hayley Young, Boise State - 73-74-72-219
T7. Taylor Kilponen, North Texas - 73-76-70-219
T7. Kacey Dalpes, New Mexico State - 70-75-74-219
T10. Emily Roering, Colorado State - 71-71-78-220
T10. T. Boonraksasat, Kansas - 77-72-71-220
Nebraska Individuals
T3. Katelyn Wright - 71-74-72-217
T12. Cassie Deeg - 75-70-76-221
T46. Steffi Neisen - 76-79-75-230
T53. Morgan Smejkal - 79-76-77-232
T64. Jackie O'Doherty - 82-79-77-238
*T64. Cassidy Stelzmiller - 83-76-79-238
*played as an individual outside Nebraska's lineup