SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Senior Bari Erais (Lethbridge, Alberta/Lethbridge Collegiate Institute) turned in the best round of the tournament, firing a final round 71 to finish tied with McNeese State's Maggie Welch atop the individual leaderboard and the Bradley women's golf team took fourth at the season-opening Payne Stewart Memorial at the par-72 Rivercut Golf Course Tuesday. Erais finished second in the tournament after losing a playoff hole to Welch.
The Braves entered the day in third but slipped to fourth place in the final team standings, despite carding the third lowest round of the day with a final round 307. Oral Roberts shot the low round of the tournament (302) Tuesday and claimed the team title with a 36-hole score of 609. McNeese State was five shots behind Oral Roberts in second at 614, while tournament-host Missouri State used a second-round 304 to overtake Bradley and finish one shot ahead of the Braves at 615. Bradley was fourth at 616 and was followed by Missouri Valley Conference rival Southern Illinois in fifth at 622.
Erais carded the low round of the tournament with her second-round 71 to tie Welch after 36 holes at 146. The 71 is tied for the 12th-best round in program history and marked the seventh time Erais has shot 72 or lower. Welch shot par on the first playoff hole to claim the medalist title, while Erais pushed her school-record for career top 10 finishes with a second-place showing. Erais was joined in the top 10 by freshman Kelly Amundrud (Calgary, Alberta/Strathcona Tweedsmuir) who finished eighth. Amundrud followed up her first-round 76 with a 77 Tuesday to finish seven shots behind the leaders at 153.
Sophomore Breanne Neufeld (Coaldale, Alberta/Coaldale) matched her first round 78 during Tuesday's second round to finish in a tie for 12th place. Fellow sophomore Caitlin Deeken (California, Mo./California) tied for 29th at 161 after shooting a second-round 81. Senior Lauren Downing (Rockford, Ill./Hononegah) rounded out the team scoring with a final round 91 and tied for 60th place at 176. Freshman Keegan Ryan (Groveland, Ill./Morton) played as an individual and was 10 shots better than Monday, carding a 76 Tuesday to finish in a tie for 33rd at 162.
The Braves return to action Sept. 29-30 at the Johnie Imes Invitational in Columbia, Mo.
