MCMAHAN NOTCHES RUNNER-UP FINISH AT LONE STAR CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
2011 Lone Star Conference Championships
Site: The Republic Golf Course (Par-71, 5,900 yards) * San Antonio, Texas
Result: A&M-Commerce finishes seventh (70-over, 922) out of 12 teams
Top Performer: Chantry McMahan (3-over, 216) ties for second individually
Lone Star Conference Championships Final Results
SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- Chantry McMahan fired an even-par 71 over the final 18 holes of the 2011 Lone Star Conference Championships, giving the freshman a runner-up finish at the conference tournament with a 3-over 216 for the 54-hole event. McMahan paced the A&M-Commerce effort as all five golfers shoot in the 70s as the Lions post a 16-over 300, the third-lowest round of the day.
McMahan, who Monday was named an All-Lone Star Conference honorable mention selection, posted a 1-under 34 over the front nine holes, thanks to birdies on one and five, then held steady over the back nine to shoot the even-par 71 and finish tied for second six strokes back of Carla Cooper of Tarleton State, the individual champion.
It highlighted a memorable final 18 holes for A&M-Commerce as all five golfers finished in the 70s, with Sara Diaz posting a career-best 3-over 74. Diaz concluded the tournament third on the Lion scorecard with a 25-over 238, eight shots back of second-place Chelsea McCoy, who posted a 7-over 78 to finish with a 17-over 230 for the LSC Championships and just missed a top-20 finish, tying for 21st overall.
Megan Benites closed out the final round of her collegiate career with a season-best 6-over 77, recording a 28-over 241. Benites finished two strokes better than Haley Green, who posted a 30-over 243 after firing a 7-over 78 over the final 18 holes.
A&M-Commerce began the day in seventh-place and held strong in the position, pulling to within one stroke of sixth-place West Texas A&M (69-over, 921) but were unable to leapfrog the Buffaloes. The Lions were able to distance themselves from eighth-place Angelo State (80-over, 932) finishing 10 shots better than the Rams.
Tarleton State won its fourth consecutive Lone Star Conference title, posting a 54-hole total of 14-over 866 to earn a commanding victory, besting second-place Midwestern State (43-over, 895) by 29 strokes to take the team title. Incarnate Word (45-over, 897), Northeastern State (83-over, 905) and Central Oklahoma (94-over, 916) round out the top-five.
With the conference tournament in the books, A&M-Commerce wraps up the 2010-11 season with six top-10 team finishes out of nine events on the year, highlighted by the fourth-place showing at the Pepsi Lion Invitational at Tanglewood in March. The Lions did so with a starting roster comprised mainly of freshmen, giving head coach Louie Bledsoe a great deal of optimism as he looks forward to the 2011-12 season.
2011 Lone Star Conference Championships Results
| T-2 | Chantry McMahan | 70-75-71=216 | (+3) |
| T-21 | Chelsea McCoy | 77-75-78=230 | (+17) |
| T-32 | Sara Diaz | 80-84-74=238 | (+25) |
| T-35 | Megan Benites | 80-84-77=241 | (+28) |
| T-44 | Haley Green | 84-81-78=243 | (+30) |
