Former Georgia golfer Whitney Wade finished third at the Duramed Futures Tour’s Alliance Bank Classic in Syracuse, N.Y., over the weekend to pace a quartet of past Bulldogs competing in the event.

After opening with a 1-under 70, Wade posted a pair of 5-under 66s in the second and third rounds to wrap up the 54-hole event at 11-under 202. She finished a stroke behind the pace of Jenny Suh and Seo-Jae Lee. Suh, a former Alabama standout, won the title in a playoff.

In addition, Taylor Leon, a LPGA Tour regular who competed in the event, tied for ninth at 6-under 207; Kelly Froelich and Garrett Phillips both tied for 38th at 1-over 214; and Mallory Hetzel tied for 45th at at 2-over 215.

The performance marked Wade’s second straight top-five effort. She was runner-up at last week’s USI Championship in Concord, N.H.

Wade, a four-time first team All-SEC performer for the Bulldogs from 2003-07, also improved her standing on the 2009 Futures Tour money list. She is now fourth on that ledger with $37,527 in 13 events. The top-10 finishers on the season-ending money list earn automatic exemptions onto the LPGA Tour in 2010. With five events remaining, including this week’s Falls Auto Group Classic in Wade’s home state of Kentucky, she leads the No. 10 spot on the money list by $11,698.

- Georgia Sports Communications