WEST POINT, Miss. — The 25th-ranked LSU women’s golf team got off to a solid start Friday in the Southeastern Conference Women’s Golf Championship here Friday at the Ole Waverly Golf Club and stands in fourth place after 18 holes of the 54-hole event.
The Lady Tigers posted four counting scores no higher than 76 for just the third time in the spring portion of the season and is on the board with a six-over par 294 over the par 72, 6,300 course.
It couldn’t have come at a better time for Karen Bahnsen and her Lady Tigers.
“I’m really proud of the girls and how they focused so well during the round,” said Bahnsen. “It happened last year and we would love to have a couple of tournaments like that regional event a season ago. There were a couple of times when we could have posted some big numbers, but we fought hard took each shot without worrying about past shots in the round and brought it home very nicely.”
LSU’s score came on a day of near perfect conditions but greens that rolled and released incoming shots at a quicker pace than those the teams saw in the practice rounds. But No. 3 Georgia, third a year ago at Vanderbilt, certainly had things going their way, taking the early lead with a three-under par round of 285 as two golfers combined to shoot eight under for their team score.
No. 22 Alabama put on an impressive opening day performance, playing in the group with LSU, taking second at three-over par 291 with No. 10 Tennessee in third at 292, two shots ahead of the Lady Tigers.
There is a group of teams right behind LSU with South Carolina, another team LSU played with in the opening round at 295, one shot behind LSU with Florida, Arkansas and 2006 runnerup Vanderbilt tied for sixth at 296. Two-time defending champion, Auburn, is ninth in the field at 10-over 298.
LSU was led on the day by the even-par rounds posted by juniors Rebecca Kuhn and Alexis Rather. Rather has stated that this would be a special weekend for her, playing for LSU for what will be the first and only time in her collegiate career in her home state as she hails from less than an hour down the road in Tupelo.
Kuhn got in trouble on the third hole of the day, the 12th, when her tee shot on the par three ended up buried in the greenside bunker. Kuhn left her second shot in the bunker, nearly against the lip before getting out and two-putting for a double-bogey five. But on the front side, she was able to get birdies at the par-4 first and fifth to get back to even.
Rather had a little bit more of an up and down day, but played consistently with three birdies and three bogeys to go with 12 pars in her round.
LSU also counted a 74 from senior Melissa Eaton and a 76 from Kim Meck, who did a tremendous job getting LSU an important fourth counting score.
“I liked the way we played,” said LSU Coach Karen Bahnsen. “They worked hard, but appeared to have fun playing and if we can keep that attitude together for the next two days, hopefully we can have a nice finish.”
Kuhn and Rather are in a tie for eighth place in the individual competition that is led by Garrett Phillips of Georgia who fired a five-under par 67. Marci Turner of Tennessee posted a four-under 68 and in all, seven golfers broke par on a day when the average score was just over 76.07.
LSU will play in the opening wave of the Saturday round beginning at 8:30 a.m. CST with Florida and South Carolina. Live scoring is available at www.golfstat.com.
SEC Women’s Golf Championship
Ole Waverly Golf Course — West Point, Miss.
Team Results (Par 288)
1. Georgia 285 -3; 2. Alabama 291 +3; 3. Tennessee 292 +4; 4. LSU 294 +6; 5. South Carolina 295 +7; 6. Florida 296 +8; 6. Arkansas 296 +8; 6. Vanderbilt 296 +8; 9. Auburn 298 +10; 10. Kentucky 308 +20; 11. Ole Miss 312 +24; 12. Mississippi State 312 +24.
Individual Top 10 (Par 72)
1. Garrett Phillips 67, Georgia, -5; 2. Marci Turner, Tennessee, 68 -4; 3. Taylor Leon, Georgia, 69 -3; 3. Helena Blomberg, Alabama, 69 -3; 5. Blythe Worley, South Carolina, 70 -2; 5. Sandra Gal, Florida, 70 -2; 7. Angela Oh, Tennessee, 71 -1; 8. Laura Goodwin, Alabama, 72 E; 8. Alexis Rather, LSU, 72 E; 8. Rebecca Kuhn, LSU, 72 E.
LSU Scores
T8. Rebecca Kuhn 72 E
T8. Alexis Rather 72 E
T19. Melissa Eaton 74 +2
T31. Kim Meck 76 +4
T56. Caroline Martens 82 +10