The first Division III Women's Golf Championship was awarded to an experienced winner -- Methodist.

The Monarchs, winners of three of the four combined Divisions II/III championships, posted a 51-stroke win over Concordia-Moorhead. It was the largest margin of victory in any division of the women's golf championships.

After four years of a combined championship, Divisions II and III split this year.

Methodist and Concordia-Moorhead were followed by Rhodes (1,356), Simpson (1,364) and Southwestern (Texas) (1,398). The tournament was played May 16-19 at Prairie Vista Golf Course in Bloomington, Illinois. Host institution Illinois Wesleyan finished sixth with a 1,433 total.

Stacey Smith led the Monarchs' charge, firing a four-round total of 316 to edge teammate Melanie Tipps (319) for the individual title. The title was the first individual crown for a Methodist golfer.

Two individual qualifiers placed third behind Methodist's top two golfers. Luther's Caroline Hellmark and Patricia Kuehner of Franklin posted scores of 321. Emily Burch of third-place Rhodes took fifth with a 323 total.

Team results

1. Methodist, 323-314-324-324 -- 1,285; 2. Concordia-M'head, 328-339-337-332 -- 1,336; 3. Rhodes, 333-337-345-341 -- 1,356; 4. Simpson, 344-338-346-336 -- 1,364; 5. Southwestern (Tex.), 350-344-345-359 -- 1,398; 6. Ill. Wesleyan, 357-350-363-363 -- 1,433; 7. Baldwin-Wallace, 373-356-367-355 -- 1,451; 8. Linfield, 361-363-368-360 -- 1,452; 9. Knox, 369-361-381-364 -- 1,475; 10. Hardin-Simmons, 373-371-370-366 -- 1,480.

Individual results

1. Stacey Smith, Methodist, 77-79-77-83 -- 316; 2. Melanie Tipps, Methodist, 82-76-81-80 -- 319; 3. (tie) Caroline Hellmark, Luther, 80-79-82-80 -- 321; and Patricia Kuehner, Franklin, 79-81-81-80 -- 321; 5. Emily Burch, Rhodes, 79-79-84-81 -- 323; 6. Hannah Willenborg, Simpson, 82-76-87-79 -- 324; 7. Carol Brogan, Methodist, 78-84-84-80 -- 326; 8. Ellen Colenbrander, Hope, 81-77-84-85 -- 327; 9. (tie) Kari Weidner, Concordia-M'head, 83-82-81-82 -- 328; and Maria Amlen, Concordia-M'head, 81-87-78-82 -- 328; 11. Debbie Zorn, Buena Vista, 83-79-80-89 -- 331; 12. Ashlee Martin, Southwestern (Tex.), 84-78-85-86 -- 333; 13. Fay Bradley, Simpson 84-83-83-84 -- 334; 14. Emily Hungenburg, Linfield, 82-83-87-84 -- 336; 15. (tie) Allison Hooker, Southwestern (Tex.), 81-89-83-84 -- 337; and Whitney Bryant, Rhodes, 80-81-83-93 -- 337; 17. (tie) Jenny Kovash, Concordia-M'head, 81-84-91-82 -- 338; and Michelle Meadows, Methodist, 86-80-82-90 -- 338; 19. Angie Wengerd, Methodist, 87-79-93-81 -- 340; 20. Allison Hall, Hardin-Simmons, 87-82-86-87 -- 342; 21. (tie) Christie Strecker, Concordia-M'head, 83-86-88-86 -- 343; and Stephanie Feeney, Millikin, 85-84-86-88 -- 343; 23. Monica Blank, McMurry, 82-87-89-86 -- 344; 24. Sherri Bowden, Hardin-Simmons, 87-89-86-83 -- 345; 25. (tie) Gail Nelson, Ill. Wesleyan, 87-87-87-85 -- 346; 25. (tie) Lauren Kwedar, Rhodes, 88-90-86-82 -- 346; Beth Conant, Knox, 88-81-93-85 -- 347; and Christy Huegerich, Wis.-Whitewater, 87-86-84-90 -- 347; 29. Agnes Surowka, Rhodes, 86-87-92-85 -- 350; 30. Kallie Daly, Augustana (Ill.), 85-85-90-91 -- 351; 31. (tie) Meghann Glass, Mount Union, 87-89-87-89 -- 352; and Natalie Rishert, Baldwin-Wallace, 87-83-93-89 -- 352; 33. Melissa McMahon, Ill. Wesleyan, 88-86-90-91 -- 355; 34. (tie) Karen Dobranski, Simpson, 93-89-86-89 -- 357; and Sarah Bidney, Simpson, 86-95-92-84 -- 357; 36. Brooke Watts, Southwestern (Tex.), 91-86-86-96 -- 359; 37. Tanya Ulven, Concordia-M'head, 90-88-90-93 -- 361; 38. (tie) Annika Engstrom, Linfield, 90-88-91-93 -- 362; Beth Hershberger, Simpson, 92-90-90-90-362; and Katie Rzanski, Baldwin-Wallace, 93-91-91-87 -- 362; 41. Jodi Hodges, Hardin-Simmons, 89-95-88-91 -- 363; 42. (tie) Jodi Smallenberger, Ill. Wesleyan, 90-90-91-95 -- 366; and Kelly Kostock, Ill. Wesleyan, 92-87-95-92 -- 366; 44. Jennifer Johnson, Knox, 90-94-93-90 -- 367; 45. (tie) Angie Immel, Baldwin-Wallace, 92-93-95-89 -- 369 and Emily Conine, Southwestern (Tex.), 94-91-91-93 -- 369; 47. Nancy Nicely, DePauw, 93-94-96-87 -- 370; 48. Kecia Denk, Linfield, 88-96-100-88 -- 372; 49. Clarise Vennitti, Baldwin-Wallace, 101-90-92-94 -- 377; 50. Beth Howlett, Baldwin-Wallace, 108-92-91-90 -- 381; 51. Karen Lim, Linfield, 101-96-90-95 -- 382; 52. Cara Novy, Knox, 98-90-97-99 -- 384; 53. Jennifer Wunder, Knox, 95-98-102-90 -- 385; 54. Stacy Hjerpe, Southwestern (Tex.), 100-92-98-97 -- 387; 55. Shelley Newman, Knox, 96-96-98-104 -- 394; 56. Kathryn Stone, Rhodes, 106-105-99-97 -- 407; 57. Amy Cline, Ill. Wesleyan, 110-97-104-99 -- 410; 58. (tie) Andrea Byrd, Linfield, 108-107-105-114 -- 434; and Mandy Humphreys, Hardin-Simmons, 110-105-110-109 -- 434; 60. Leslie Parker, Hardin-Simmons, 122-117-123-105 -- 467.