SPRING, Texas – No. 29-ranked Midwestern State had the best final round of the 15 teams competing in the Southern Invite at Cypresswood Golf Club. The Mustangs finished in fifth place at 45-over 909 with Romane Lacoste, Mary Kerr and Madison Wert all finishing among the top 20 in the 80-player field. 

Midwestern State shot 5-over 293 in the final round, which was three strokes better than any other team in the field. The Mustangs moved up four places on the leaderboard after finishing ninth through the first 36 holes on Monday. 

No. 6-ranked UT Tyler won the title by 14 strokes over No. 2-ranked Dallas Baptist with an 18-over 882 through 54 holes. No 18-ranked St. Mary's was third at 43-over par, and No. 31-ranked Rogers State finished fourth at 44-over par.

Lucy Kate Smith of UT Tyler won the individual title with a 2-over 218, finishing two strokes ahead of Estela Castillo of Central Oklahoma, and she was three strokes better than her teammate Martha Laremark, who finished tied for third after holding the 36-hole lead.  Karina Dunn of UT Tyler and Maria Velilla of Southwestern Oklahoma State were also tied for third.

Lacoste had the best result among the Mustangs, finishing the tournament in 12th place at 9-over. Lacoste has two birdies over her final nine holes on Tuesday to close out the 54-hole event with a 3-over 75.

Kerr shot 5-over in each of the first two rounds but shot even-par 72 in the final round. She had three birdies on Tuesday, including one on the 482-yard, par-5 seventh hole, which she bogied in each of the first two rounds on Monday. Kerr finished in 14th place at 10-over par, moving up 13 spots on the leaderboard in the final round. 

Wert, competing as an individual, birdied three of her final five holes on Tuesday, moving up eight spots on the leaderboard to finish in 19th place at 12-over par.

Kodi Nolen was the biggest mover of the day for MSU with an even-par 72 in the final round.  The senior from Midlothian, Texas, had four birdies and an eagle during her final round to move up 20 spots and finish in 26th place at 13-over par.

Alli Reily moved up four spots on the leaderboard with a 3-over 75 in her final round to finish in 28th place at 14-over par.

Emma Darnold climbed eight spots with a 2-over 74 in the final round after shooting 9-over in each of the first two rounds. 

Midwestern State had 30 birdies in the event — just three fewer than UT Tyler, which won the tournament. Dallas Baptist led the field with 34 birdies. 

The Mustangs tee it up at Dominion Country Club in San Antonio for the women's Rattler Invitational next week. The first two rounds are scheduled for Feb. 23, and the final round is scheduled to be played on Feb. 24.