Methodist maintained its monarchy in Division III women's golf, winning a seventh consecutive team title at the Division III Women's Golf Championships May 11-14 at the par-73 Links Course at the Golf Courses of Lawsonia near Green Lake, Wisconsin.

The title was the eighth overall for the Lady Monarchs, who have won every title but one in the nine-year history of the tournament, including the first four years when it was a combined Divisions II and III tournament. Lynn was the lone non-Methodist winner in 1997.

Methodist carded a final-round 339 for a 72-hole total of 1,303, good enough for a two-shot victory over last year's runner-up, Mary Hardin-Baylor. The Crusaders entered the day seven shots behind but made things interesting with a final-round 334. Methodist won the title by 53 shots over Mary Hardin-Baylor in 2003.

Methodist led by just a shot with the Lady Monarchs' Charlotte Williams and Mary Hardin-Baylor's Amanda Tuskey, the final two players for both teams, facing birdie putts on the par-5 18th hole. Williams sank a curling 25-footer while Tuskey missed her six-foot birdie try.

Williams paced the Lady Monarchs with a four-round score of 316. She was the tournament leader heading into the final round but was overtaken by McMurry's Brittany Cary, who won medalist honors by two shots over Williams and Katie Taylor of Concordia-Moorhead. Both Cary, who finished seventh in 2003, and Taylor were among the 10 individuals not affiliated with one of the teams playing in the tournament.

Cary played in wet conditions during the final round after a steady morning rain and carded an 8-over par 81. Taylor was tied with Cary entering the final round but shot an 83. Williams logged an 84.

Higher final-round scores reflected the weather conditions. Every team shot significantly higher scores in the final round than in the third, several by more than 20 strokes. Methodist was one of those, firing a final-round 339 after a third-round 314. Besides Williams' 84, Melissa Arnett carded an 82, Hope Thomas shot an 86 and Heather Martin contributed an 87.

Mary Hardin-Baylor's Tuskey, who finished fifth overall, was the lone golfer to break 80 in the last round when the average score was 88.42. Her 79 combined with Emily Breedlove (82), Holly Glover (84) and Carrie Franciskovic (89) for the Crusaders' fourth-round total of 334.

DePauw, which entered the tournament ranked No. 1 by Golfstat, finished third with a total of 1,315, 12 shots off the lead. Sarah Gates led DePauw with a fourth-place finish in the individual standings.

Wisconsin-Oshkosh, located about 25 miles east of the golf course, finished fourth in the team standings.

Team results

1. Methodist, 327-323-314-339 -- 1,303; 2. Mary Hardin-Baylor, 333-325-313-334 -- 1,305; 3. DePauw, 327-326-324-338 -- 1,315; 4. Wis.-Oshkosh, 321-326-331-343 -- 1,321; 5. Wis.-Eau Claire, 329-334-326-355 -- 1,344; 6. Gust. Adolphus, 333-345-329-348 -- 1,355; 7. Simpson, 335-346-337-342 -- 1,360; 8. St. Mary's (Ind.), 339-349-329-367 -- 1,384; 9. Mount Holyoke, 347-349-338-356 -- 1,390; 10. Hardin-Simmons, 356-360-354-383 -- 1,453.

Individual results

1. Brittany Cary, McMurry, 85-77-71-81 -- 314; 2. (tie) Katie Taylor, Concordia-M'head, 80-74-79-83 -- 316; and Charlotte Williams, Methodist, 82-75-75-84 -- 316; 4. Sarah Gates, DePauw, 76-78-80-85 -- 319; 5. Amanda Tuskey, Mary Hardin-Baylor, 82-82-77-79 -- 320; 6. Amy Simon, Wis.-Oshkosh, 81-76-82-82 -- 321; 7. (tie) Maggie Loney, Wis.-Eau Claire, 79-81-76-86 -- 322; and Audry Longo, Mount Holyoke, 80-82-79-81 -- 322; 9. Kelly Cramp, McDaniel, 80-74-82-88 -- 324; 10. Holly Glover, Mary Hardin-Baylor, 83-81-78-84 -- 326; 11. Heather Martin, Methodist, 82-81-77-87 -- 327; 12. (tie) Laura McKinney, Rhodes, 88-81-77-82 -- 328; and Stefanie Simmerman, St. Mary's (Ind.), 78-82-78-90 -- 328; 14. (tie) Emily Breedlove, Mary Hardin-Baylor, 90-79-79-82 -- 330; Deb Garriott, DePauw, 81-81-81-87 -- 330; and Susan Karlman, Wis.-Eau Claire, 77-81-80-92 -- 330; 17. (tie) Erin Schliep, Gust. Adolphus, 82-86-81-82 -- 331; and Kara Solem, Mount Holyoke, 87-78-79-87 -- 331; 19. (tie) Lindsay Amore, DePauw, 83-85-84-80 -- 332; and Hope Thomas, Methodist, 80-85-81-86 -- 332.

21. Kelli Groff, Gust. Adolphus, 78-86-82-87 -- 333; 22. Cheryl Treadwell, Wis.-Oshkosh, 80-84-86-84 -- 334; 23. (tie) Cassie Graves, Wis.-Oshkosh, 85-82-81-87 -- 335; and Jessica Schneider, DePauw, 87-82-80-86 -- 335; 25. Carrie Franciskovic, Mary Hardin-Baylor, 83-85-79-89 -- 336; 26. (tie) Carrie Detjen, Wis.-Oshkosh, 81-84-82-90 -- 337; and Lisa Irons, Wis.-Whitewater, 88-85-77-87 -- 337; 28. (tie) Erin Dohlman, Wartburg, 89-82-81-87 -- 339; Diane Imburgia, Millikin, 84-86-82-87 -- 339; and Charla Speer, Franklin, 81-86-87-85 -- 339; 31. (tie) Melissa Arnett, Methodist, 88-82-88-82 -- 340; Jennifer Lymangood, Methodist, 83-87-81-89 -- 340; and Jennifer Prock, Wis.-Eau Claire, 86-84-83-87 -- 340; 34. (tie) Janelle Claiborne, Simpson, 86-85-82-88 -- 341; and Amber DeRiemacker, Simpson, 84-87-89-81 -- 341; 36. Jenn Young, Wis.-Oshkosh, 79-84-87-92 -- 342; 37. Meredith McArthur, Mary Hardin-Baylor, 85-83-85-90 -- 343; 38. (tie) Kristi Martin, Hardin-Simmons, 84-81-85-94 -- 344; and Karen Smith, Simpson, 86-82-88-88 -- 344.

40. Julia Adams, St. Mary's (Ind.), 90-87-78-90 -- 345; 41. Steph Schenfeld, Simpson, 79-93-82-92 -- 346; 42. Kelsey Getz, Gust. Adolphus, 86-84-86-91 -- 347; 43. Katie Aplin, Gust. Adolphus, 87-92-80-91 -- 350; 44. Lacey Wicksall, Hope, 85-84-94-89 -- 352; 45. (tie) Kelly Gerzsenyi, Wis.-Eau Claire, 87-88-87-91 -- 353; and Senta Willenborg, Simpson, 91-92-85-85 -- 353; 47. Stephanie Morton, Ill. Wesleyan, 80-92-92-90 -- 354; 48. (tie) Lisa Chambers, DePauw, 87-86-83-99 -- 355; and Alana Reetz, Gust. Adolphus, 90-89-88-88 -- 355; 50. (tie) Elizabeth Hanlon, St. Mary's (Ind.), 88-90-84-94 -- 356; and Chandra Hayes, Hardin-Simmons, 88-95-83-90 -- 356; 52. (tie) Chrissy Dunham, St. Mary's (Ind.), 83-90-89-96 -- 358; and Jessie Thompson, Wis.-Eau Claire, 90-89-88-91 -- 358; 54. Erin Weimer, Mount Holyoke, 91-90-88-92 -- 361; 55. Megan Bennett, Hardin-Simmons, 92-88-93-99 -- 372; 56. Nicole Bellino, St. Mary's (Ind.), 98-93-89-93 -- 373; 57. Evelyn Kapusta, Mount Holyoke, 89-99-95-96 -- 379; 58. Andra Boxberger, Hardin-Simmons, 93-96-94-101 -- 384; 59. Elizabeth Tateoka, Mount Holyoke, 101-101-92-99 -- 393.