Women's POY: Still too close to call

For the third time in the last month, the two leading national women's player-of-the-year candidates-- Arkansas senior Stacy Lewis and Duke junior Amanda Blumenherst--competed in the same tournament, the duo wrapping up the final round of the Bryan Park National Collegiate in Brown Summit, N.C., this afternoon.

Long story short: Lewis (five-over 77/even-par 216 overall) hung on in challenging weather conditions (rain, temps in the high 30s) to her four-stroke lead to start the day, outlasting Blumenherst (74/217), who bogeyed her final hole, and claiming the individual title at Bryan Park's Players Course. The two players are now 2-2 head-to-head for the year (including last fall's Stanford Invitational).

Short story long: It's still unclear who has the edge for player-of-the-year honors. While Lewis' stroke average is higher than Blumenherst (71.88 to 70.67) and her worst finish is also well worse than Blumenherst's (T-23 to T-5), Lewis did win two of the four events that the two players both played in. Likewise, she holds the advantage in individual wins on the season, having claimed five individual titles to Blumenherst's three.

Check out their updated stats here:

__AMANDA BLUMENHERST, Duke

Starts:__ 8__

Wins:__ 3__

Stroke average:__ 70.67

__Rounds/Sub-par:24/13

Percentage of rounds counting for team: 100%

Event                     Score            Finish        Team Finish__

Mason Rudolph        66-68-69        Win            3rd

NCAA Preview         73-68-67        2nd            Win

Lady Tar Heel         71-68-70        Win            Win

Stanford                 66-73-76         T-5            2nd

Ariz. Wildcat          68-72-73         Win            T-2

UCF Challenge         69-68-74            T-3               Win

Liz Murphey              74-72-74           T-3             T-5

Bryan Park Nat'l        70-73-74        2nd                2nd

__

STACY LEWIS, Arkansas

Starts:__ 9__

Wins:__ 5__

Stroke average:__ 71.88

__Rounds/Sub-par:26/13

Percentage of rounds counting for team: 100%

Event                     Score            Finish        Team Finish__

Ky. Wildcat             69-76-71        T-3            3rd

Mercedes-Benz        69-71-71        3rd             3rd

Stanford                 69-72-70        Win            4th

UA/Ann Rhodes       68-76-69        Win            Win

Puerto Rico             68-70-70        Win            T-5

UCF Challenge         70-76-72         T-23             12th

Betsy Rawls                74-77                 Win              4th

Liz Murphey                75-74-76           T-10             4th

Bryan Park Nat'l       70-69-77            Win              4th

Not unlike the Democratic party's race for a presidential nominee, this contest between Lewis and Blumenherst is still too close to call. Both players have their respective conference championships (Lewis in the SEC at Tennessee National in Louden, Tenn., April 18-20, Blumenherst in the ACC at Florida's LPGA International April 18-20) and then will wait for the NCAA postseason to begin.

Bottom line: The most exciting POY race in a decade is only likely to get more exciting.