BATON ROUGE — A solid field of 16 women’s golf teams open play Friday at the University Club as the 24th annual LSU/Cleveland Golf Classic begins its three-day run.
The tournament is the third of four this spring for the LSU’s women’s golf team as it tries to align itself in preparation for the April SEC Championships and the post-season regional event in May.
The three teams which battled through the competition last year will be paired in the feature opening round wave with defending champion North Carolina paired with Tulane and LSU. Tulane is 12th in the country and LSU 13th in the latest Golf World Women’s Coaches Poll.
Tulane had the lead after 36 holes a year ago at 604 with LSU at 607 and UNC at 611. But North Carolina blazed the course on the final day with a four-over 292 while Tulane and LSU could not break 300, allowing the Tar Heels to mow past the state schools for the win. Ashley Prange would be the tournament medalist with a one-under 215, shooting consistent rounds of 73-71-71.
Also in the field this year are North Carolina Wilmington (2003 champions), Louisville, North Carolina State, Augusta, State, Kansas, College of Charleston, Birmingham Southern, Vanderbilt (winners of the SEC championships on this course in 2004), Mississippi State, Alabama, Ole Miss, Kentucky and James Madison.
“We are very pleased with how this tournament has set up now that we have moved to these dates,” said LSU Coach Karen Bahnsen. “The staff here has done a tremendous job to make the course in as good a shape as possible. We hope the weather will hold and that our fans will get to come out and enjoy seeing some of the nation’s best collegiate golfers in action.”
The Tigers will be looking to win the tournament for the first time since 2001 when they capped a run of three tournament titles in four years.
Half of the 16 teams — LSU, Tulane, Augusta State, James Madison, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi State and North Carolina Wilmington — have won tournaments this year and will be trying for their second tournament wins of the season.
Tee times begin Friday off the first and 10th tees with LSU, Tulane and North Carolina set to go starting off holes No. 1 at 10 a.m. The teams will follow the same format on Saturday before the final round on Sunday of the 54-hole event begins with a shotgun state at 8:30 a.m.
Live scoring for the tournament can be found online at www.LSUsports.net or www.golfstat.com.