Brinker Finishes Runner-Up at Tar Heel Invitational

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Duke women’s golf junior Phoebe Brinker finished runner-up at the Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invitational on Tuesday at the 6,203-yard, par-72 Governors Club in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Brinker turned in a 7-under-par, 209, and finished in a tie for first-place over 54 holes along with Jensen Castle of Kentucky, before falling in a playoff.  Senior Erica Shepherd carded her second straight top-10 finish for the Blue Devils with a 54-hole ledger of 216.  

How It Happened

•    Phoebe Brinker closed her second round on Tuesday morning with a short birdie on the par-5 seventh hole and held a 2-stroke lead heading into the final 18 holes.  

•    Brinker opened her third round with a par, but then suffered a bogey on No. 9.  She went on to play holes 12-17 at 3-under-par with birdies on No. 12, No. 16 and No. 17.  She hit her 6-iron from 163 yards to three feet on No. 12, drained a 6-foot birdie on No. 16 and then hit her 50-degree wedge from 100 yards to six feet for birdie on No. 17.  Over her final seven holes, Brinker struggled some as she missed four fairways and three greens, before dropping a few shots.  She stuck her 7-iron on No. 4 from 156 yards to three feet for birdie to keep her in the lead.  Brinker closed on the par-5 seventh and had a five-foot birdie putt to move to 8-under-par, but just missed.  

•    Both Brinker and Castle went to a playoff on the par-3 ninth hole.  Brinker hit her approach into the greenside bunker and two-putted for bogey, while Castle hit her approach on the green and two-putted for par to win medalist honors.  Brinker finished with rounds of 67, 70 and 72.  

•    Erica Shepherd collected her third top-12 finish in four events this fall as she finished tied for eighth with rounds of 71, 74 and 71 for a 216.  She opened on hole No. 5 and parred the first four holes, before suffering a double-bogey on No. 9.  Shepherd responded by sinking a 7-foot birdie on No. 10.  She then missed the fairway and green on No. 11 and suffered her first bogey.  The rest of the way Shepherd was lights out playing her final 11 holes at 3-under-par.  She stuck her approach on No. 17 to three feet…