TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — After an all-day attempt to get the first round of the University of Alabama/Ann Rhoads Intercollegiate in, it was not to be as the first round was finally suspended late Sunday because of heavy rain and lightning with several groups still on the course.
The day started more than an hour late because of the rain and the elements were a factor for the 12 teams, including the LSU Lady Tigers golf team that was opening its 25th season of play. The first round is scheduled now to resume at the Capstone Course at 10:30 a.m. Monday with the second round to follow at noon with a shotgun tee start.
At this moment in the first round, Alabama and Mississippi State are finished at 302, with LSU and Florida State also able to finish on Sunday at 18-over 306, four shots out of the lead. LSU had five scores in the 70s on the opening day led by Brooke Shelton and Devon Day at 76, with Isabel Dornellas and Alexis Rather at 77 and Vicky Meyer with the non-counting team score of 79.
LSU has the better fifth player score over Florida State in the tiebreaker for positioning in the second round so if no team on the course gets past LSU, the Lady Tigers will play in the final grouping on Monday with Alabama and Mississippi State. However, the weather forecast is for a 70 percent chance of rain in the area.
“We really got off to a good start,” said LSU Coach Karen Bahnsen, entering her 20th season as the coach of the Lady Tigers. “We were so close to a great score, but we hadn’t been around the lead in a while and we didn’t quite know how to bring it home the last few holes. But we’re in a very good position and learned a lot (Sunday). Hopefully the weather will cooperate and we can get our second round in on Monday.”
The tournament is scheduled for a conclusion on Tuesday.