LAWTON, Okla. (Oct. 11, 2021) – Wilma Merenmies and Alexandria Bennett each posted a top-five individual finish as No. 24-ranked Oklahoma Christian finished fourth on Monday in the Oklahoma Intercollegiate golf tournament at Lawton Country Club.

OC posted team rounds of 307 and 302 for a final score of 609, 17 shots behind the winner, Midwestern State (Texas). Angelo State (Texas) was second at 603 and host Cameron took third in the nine-team field at 606.

The tournament, originally scheduled as a two-day event, was changed to a one-day, 36-hole event because of dire weather forecasts for Tuesday. As it was, due to heavy thunderstorms that passed through southwestern Oklahoma on Sunday night, players contended Monday with a soaked course that included numerous areas of standing water – particularly in bunkers, many of which were unplayable. Players were allowed to use carts to traverse the course.

The soggy conditions made the course play considerably longer than its posted 5,975-yard length but Merenmies (who took third) and Bennett (who placed fifth) persevered.

Merenmies, a sophomore from Raasepori, Finland, shot a 1-over-par 72 in the first round, then a 73 in the second round. At 145, she was just two shots behind the winner, Juanita Gomez of Midwestern State, and one shot behind Maria Sierra Sanz of Angelo State. It was the second-highest individual finish of Merenmies' collegiate career and her sixth top-10 showing overall.

Bennett, a junior from Plano, Texas, posted a first-round 77, then moved up the leaderboard from 11th to fifth thanks a 72 in the final round that left her at 149 for the tournament. The top-10 individual finish was the eighth of her career.

OC freshman Sofia Benavides Herberth of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, tied for 17th in the 49-woman field at 157 after rounds of 77 and 80. Freshman Sarah Sherrard of Moore shot rounds of 81 and 78 to tie for 24th at 159 and freshman Haley Blevins of Edmond placed 32nd at 163, shooting rounds of 84 and 79.

Competing as an individual, OC sophomore Alyssa Wilson of Yukon shot rounds of 80 and 76 and tied for 14th at 156, giving her her fourth top-20 collegiate finish.

The Eagles will wrap up the fall portion of their 2021-22 season on Oct. 25-25 in the Tulsa Cup, to be hosted by Rogers State at MeadowBrook Country Club in Tulsa.