DESTIN, Fla. — The LSU Lady Tigers for the third straight tournament this fall, failed to get four players out of the box on the opening round and stands in a tie for fifth after the first round Friday of the Chrysler Challenge at the Raven Course at the Sandestin Resort.
LSU played the par-71 course in 25-over par 309 and stands 12 shots behind leader South Carolina going into Saturday’s second round of the 54-hole event. South Carolina shot a 297-team score and holds a four-stroke lead over Alabama. The Gamecocks’ Jenna Pearson shot a one-under par 70 and is in first place in the individual standings. Pearson holds a two-stroke lead over a group of three players.
Alabama is second at 301, three shots ahead of Mississippi State at 304. Florida is fourth with LSU and Ole Miss tied for fifth at 309. Host Florida State rounds out the field at 310.
LSU’s two sophomores, Rebecca Kuhn and Kim Meck had good counting rounds for the Lady Tigers at 3-over 74, good enough for a tie for seventh in the individual competition. LSU also counted an 80 from senior Vicky Meyer and an 81 from junior Melissa Eaton.
“We struggled with getting started again, although Rebecca and Kim did a good job for us,” said LSU Coach Karen Bahnsen. “We have to come out (Saturday) and work hard to get four scores together.”
Chrysler Challenge
Destin, Fla.
Team Scores (Par 71-284)
1. South Carolina 297 +13; 2. Alabama 301 +17; 3. Mississippi State 304 +21; 4. Florida 305 +22; 5. LSU 309 +26; 5. Ole Miss 309 +26; 7. Florida State 310 +27.
Individual Top 5 (par 71)
1. Jenna Pearson, South Carolina 70 -1; 2. Jenny Suh, Alabama 72 +1; 2. Amanda Mathis, Miss. State, 72 +1; 2. Audrey Gale, Alabama 72 +1; 5. Ashleigh Korzak, Miss. State 73 +2; Laura Roffo, South Carolina 73 +2.
LSU Scores
T7. Rebecca Kuhn, 74 +3
T7. Kimberly Meek, 74 +3
T20. Alexis Rather, 77 +6
T30. Vicky Meyer, 80 +9
T34. Melissa Eaton, 81 +10