Duke Trio Place in Top 20 of Landfall Tradition

WILMINGTON, N.C. – The Duke women’s golf trio of Avery McCrery, Katie Li and Andie Smith closed action at the Landfall Tradition Sunday with top 20 placements, which was contested at the 6,109-yard, par-72 Country Club of Landfall. 
 
McCrery, playing as an individual, turned in a career-best finish as she placed 10th with a 2-under, 214, while Li was 12th (1-under, 215) and Smith was tied for 18th (2-over, 218).  As a team, Duke turned in a sixth-place finish with rounds of 295, 288 and 290 for an 873. 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED – ROUND THREE

• Both Katie Li and Andie Smith signed for under-par rounds to close the weekend.
• Li had one bogey and three birdies en route to a 2-under, 70, while Smith had five birdies and posted a 1-under, 71.
• In the final round, Li had 14 pars and birdies on No. 4 (from two feet) and No. 12 (from 15 feet) over her first 16 holes.After a bogey on No. 17, she missed the green with her 5-iron from 194 yards and then flopped to 21 feet for birdie.
• Smith was 1-under through five holes as she drained a 15-foot birdie on No. 1.She had four bogeys over the next 10 holes to go along with two birdies and four pars.Smith registered a 2-foot birdie on No. 16 as she hit her 8-iron from 145 yards into the wind and then 2-putted for birdie on No. 18.
• Avery McCrery had the best start of the day with three straight birdies on the first three holes.  She sank putts from 10 feet, eight feet and 20 feet to open the morning.  After dropping a couple of shots, McCrery hit her pitching wedge from 119 yards to eight feet for birdie on No. 10.  She closed the day with two bogeys and a par to finish with an even-par, 72. 
• Carla De Troia and Anna Cañado Espinal singed for rounds of 74 and 75, respectively, as they both notched one birdie. 
• Freshman Rianne Malixi was held without a birdie and finished with a 79.
• As a team, Duke shot a 2-over, 290, in the final round.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED – ROUND TWO

• Avery McCrery totaled a career-best 2-under, 70, in the second round to lead the Blue Devils, while Carla De Troia added a 1-under, 71. 
• McCrery birdied the first hole of the day as she hit her 48-degree wedge from 97 yards to eight feet.She then parred seven holes in a row, before suffering her lone bogey on No. 9.On the back nine, McCrery hit her 4-iron on the par-5 No. 12 from 196 yards to the right fringe and 2-putted for birdie.She then chipped her 60-degree wedge from 40 yards to eight feet for birdie on No. 18.
• De…