ATHENS, Ga. — LSU’s ninth-ranked women’s golf team fired a 2-over 294 on Saturday, three strokes better than its opening round total, but the Lady Tigers weren’t able to pick up any ground on overall leader Duke here at the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic.
Duke bettered its first round score by nine shots on Saturday as the Blue Devils scorched the University of Georgia Golf Course with a 10-under 282. The Blue Devils are 11-under as a team with a 36-hole total of 573. The Lady Tigers are the only team within striking distance as they enter the final round at 7-over 591, 18 strokes back of Duke.
Host Georgia and Auburn are a distant third place, 28 strokes behind Duke and 10 back of LSU, at 17-over 601. Wake Forest is fifth at 603, followed by Texas at 609, South Carolina at 612, Alabama and Tennessee are next at 613 and North Carolina rounds out the top 10 at 614.
Individually, Duke’s Beth Bauer followed Friday’s course and tournament record 67 with a 1-under 72 to remain in first place with an overall total of 7-under 139. Danielle Downey of Auburn is two strokes back in second place at 141. LSU’s Lisette Lee, a Kenner, La., native, posted another sub-par round as she toured the course to a 1-under 72 to stand in third place at 4-under 142, just three strokes behind Bauer.
LSU’s Meredith Duncan moved up a spot to 10th place as she fired a 1-under 72 on Saturday to move into a five-way tie at 2-over 148. Lady Tiger Tina Howard is two strokes back at 150 after posting a 3-over 76 for the second round.
Katy Wilkinson followed Friday’s 77 with a 1-over 74 on Saturday to move into a tie for 20th place with a 36-hole score of 151. Rounding out the scoring for the Lady Tigers was Rebecca Barrow with an 81 on Saturday, six strokes better than his first round score of 87.
The tournament concludes on Sunday with the final 18 holes.