COLUMBIA, S.C. — The 12th-ranked LSU women’s golf team survived a two and a half hour rained delay to finish just before darkness suspended play Thursday in the first round of the 1999 NCAA East Regional Golf Tournament at the University Club.
LSU is fourth among the 13 teams which have completed play at this point in the first round in the 19-team field with a score of 11-over par 299. The top eight teams advance to the NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championships in two weeks in Tulsa, Okla.
Furman shot the best completed round, playing in the morning wave before the interruptions with a two-over round of 290. Florida State is second at 296, with top-ranked Duke at 297. South Florida is tied for fourth with LSU, with SEC champion Georgia at 300. Right now, the eighth place score is held by Michigan State at 304.
The six teams on the course when play was suspended were South Carolina, North Carolina, Campbell, Indiana, Wake Forest and Auburn. Those teams will compete first round play Friday morning with the second round of the 54-hole tournament to follow immediately after.
LSU junior Lisette Lee continued her outstanding play of late as the Kenner native posted a one-under par round of 71 which is tied for second, two shots behind Laura Hammond of Penn State who posted a two-under 69.
New Zealand freshman Tina Howard posted a 72, with Shreveport freshman Meredith Duncan and Redmond, Wash., junior Lesley McClurg having the other two counting LSU scores at six-over 78. South Bend, Ind., sophomore Katy Wilkinson posted an eight-over round of 80.
“I’m very proud of the girls for hanging in there despite the delay,” said LSU Coach Karen Bahnsen. “It was important for us to post a good score coming out of the box and that we have done. We can’t worry about the scores still to be posted (Friday morning), we must now set our selves up to be focused for the second round and hope we can take advantage of playing in the morning wave.”
NCAA EAST REGIONAL WOMEN’S GOLF TOURNAMENT INCOMPLETE FIRST ROUND TEAM SCORES
1. Furman 290 +2 2. Florida State 296 +8 3. Duke 297 +9 4. LSU 299 +11 4. South Florida 299 +11 6. Georgia 300 +12 7. Ohio State 301 +13 7. Memphis 301 +13 9. Michigan State 304 +16 10. Penn State 307 +19 11. Ole Miss 312 +24 12. Tennessee 312 +24 13. Purdue 316 +28
Campbell, North Carolina, South Carolina, Indiana, Wake Forest and Auburn did not complete the first round due to darkness.