Shepherd Closes Collegiate Career with Top-15 Finish at NCAAs

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Duke women’s golf senior Erica Shepherd closed her collegiate career on Monday by carding a 3-under-par, 69, on her way to placing tied for 14th, individually, at the NCAA Championship, which was being played at the 6,368-yard, par 72 Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.

It marked her highest finish at the NCAA Championship as she carded five birdies on the day, while hitting 15 greens, 11 fairways and rolling 30 putts.  Over the four days, Shepherd turned in rounds of 70, 74, 72 and 69 for a 3-under, 285.

How It Happened

•    Erica Shepherd opened her round at 12:12 p.m., locally off hole No. 10.

•    She had things dialed in early as she hit all seven fairways and all nine greens on the front nine.  

•    Shepherd rolled in her first birdie of the day on the par-3 No. 13 as she dropped a 12-footer.  After a par on No. 14 as she 2-putted from 21 feet, Shepherd sank a 7-foot putt on the 415-yard, par-4 15th to move to 2-under.  

•    She parred No. 16 and then collected back-to-back birdies on No. 17 and No. 18.  On the 17th hole, Shepherd rolled in a 15-footer for birdie.  She hit a tremendous flop shot on the par-5 No. 18 from 30 yards with her 60-degree wedge that sat seven feet from the cup.  

•    Shepherd made the turn at 4-under, 32, and had the lowest round of the day going as she headed to hole No. 1.

•    She missed her first two greens of the day on No. 1 and No. 2, while suffering her lone bogeys of the afternoon.  Shepherd got back going on No. 3 with a 2-putt par.  She then had her putter working on the par-5 fifth hole as she drained a 38-foot putt for birdie to get back to 3-under-par.  

•    Shepherd made par on the challenging par-3 fifth hole and then had a great shot on No. 6 from the right rough and 2-putted for par.  She just missed a birdie on the par-5 seventh and then parred No. 8.  

•    Shepherd headed to No. 9 for her final collegiate hole.  She missed the fairway and hit her approach from the rough to short of the green.  Shepherd chipped up to the green and then sank a 5-foot par putt to close with a 69.  

Notes

•    Erica Shepherd registered her 14th round of even or under par on the season and 39th of her career.  

•    Shepherd finished her career with 16 top-20 finishes and 10…