Women's golf places 4th in Preview

The defending national champion women's golf team finished fourth at 38-over-par in the NCAA Fall Preview at the par-72 Kampen Golf Course in West Lafayette, Ind.

Duke finished 13 strokes behind the tournament's victor, Arizona. Oklahoma State took second place at plus-28, while Vanderbilt claimed third place, finishing just one stroke ahead of the Blue Devils.

Tuesday's final round featured a late tournament surge from senior Kristina Engstrom. With a 2-under 70 for the day, Engstrom climbed the leader board and finished tied for fifth place after starting the third round tied for 25th. She recorded three straight birdies on the front nine and five birdies for the day. Completing the front nine at 4-under, Engstrom bogeyed the 12th hole and then double-bogeyed the 14th hole to set her back to 1-under par. But with a birdie on the 16th hole, she was able to finish off a strong afternoon at 2-under par.

"I just got a really really good start," Engstrom said. "I had a little difficulty in the middle of the round but came back and made a birdie coming in."

Virada Nirapathpongporn, Duke's No. 1 golfer and the 2002 NCAA champion, did not fair as well as her teammate. After opening the tournament even for par with a 72, she was 8-over Monday afternoon.

Tied for 30th going into her final round of play, Nirapathpongporn posted seven straight pars on the front nine. She was unable to break even, however, as she completed the day 4-over with a 76, putting her in a tie for 28th place.

"I was having a little trouble with my feel," Nirapathpongporn said. "My swing didn't feel great, but I found a way to finish my round. Obviously I didn't do as well as I would have liked, but I feel like I did everything that I could have."

Arizona's Miriam Kraschinski matched Engstrom's 70 for Tuesday's low score. Kraschinski's back-to-back 70s Monday and Tuesday gave her sole possession of first place, as she was the only golfer in the 90-player field to shoot sub-par.