Duke Makes Valiant Run at Match Play, But Comes Up Just Short

WILMINGTON, N.C. – The Duke women’s golf team turned in a valiant effort on Saturday in the final round of stroke play at the ACC Championship, but came up just short of advancing to match play at the 6,142-yard, par-72 Porters Neck Country Club in Wilmington, N.C. 
 
Duke carded a 7-under-par, 281, in the third round and finished the championship with a 2-over, 866, but was one stroke behind North Carolina (865) for the fourth and final slot in match play.  Wake Forest (841), Clemson (848) and Virginia (856) claimed the other three spots in match play.  The Blue Devils’ final round of 281 was the second-best ledger of the day. 
 
Over the 54 holes, the Blue Devils featured three golfers finish in the top-20 with Andie Smith (T13, 214), Emma McMyler (T17, 216) and Phoebe Brinker (T20, 217).  Brinker totaled her third straight top-20 finish at the ACC Championship.
 
How It Happened

• Duke featured two rounds in the 60s on Saturday as freshman Katie Li posted a 5-under, 67, while sophomore Andie Smith carded a 3-under, 69.
• The Blue Devils opened action on hole No. 10 for the second straight day.
• Li registered six birdies and only one bogey helping her to her fourth round in the 60s this season.After just missing birdies over her first four holes, Li collected back-to-back birdies on No. 14 and No. 15 to get to 2-under.She stuck approach shots to four feet and three feet and drained the putts.Li, a native of Basking Ridge, N.J., got unlucky hitting her drive into the fairway bunker on No. 18 and ended up with a bogey.She rebounded nicely over her final nine holes shooting a 4-under, 32.Li sank a 4-footer for birdie on No. 1 and then hit her 54-degree wedge to one foot from 92 yards on No. 3 to get to 3-under.After four pars, she birdied the final two holes to shoot 67.
• Smith, who hails from Hobe Sound, Fla., was solid all day with four birdies and one bogey, while posting her sixth round in the 60s this season.She parred the first three holes and then had her lone bogey. Smith came back strong birding four out of her next five holes to make the turn with a 3-under, 33.Things got started by draining a 10-foot downhill putt on No. 14 and she then hit her 9-iron from 133 yards to four feet for birdie on No. 16.Smith rolled in a 20-footer for birdie on No. 17 and 2-putted for birdie on No….