ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The 18th-ranked LSU Lady Tigers came out a bit shaky in their opening round of the NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championships Tuesday at the University of New Mexico Championship Golf Course and find themselves in 19th place after the first round of the 72-hole event.
But LSU’s 19th place is in the midst of a crowded leader board that finds LSU just four shots out of the ninth going into Wednesday’s second round.
The Lady Tigers posted a 12-over 302 for the first 18 holes played in hot, but calm conditions over the 6,400-yard par 72 course. The Tigers opening round was led by LSU’s No. 1 golfer, freshman Megan McChrystal who opened the tournament with a very solid one-over round of 73. The Stuart, Fla., native went out on the back nine (LSU’s first nine holes of competition) with an even par 36 with one birdie and one bogey) and came home with a nice birdie on the par-5 ninth hole (her 18th of the day) to finish with 73, in a tie for 23rd place.
LSU also made a nice comeback on the final nine holes, getting home in four-over after turning after nine holes at eight-over par. Many of the problems on the first nine holes came in the form of three putts on greens that average over 6,500 square feet.
“I don’t think we came out striking the ball particularly well and that left us some long, long putts,” said LSU Coach Karen Bahnsen. “The girls really wanted it bad and they were trying so hard. We’ve got three more days. It’s not a sprint. It’s a marathon. A 300 won’t kill you. It doesn’t put you in the greatest position, but it’s a very compact field after one round. We are very capable of shooting something lower. No one gave in (Tuesday). They stayed very tough. It’s just a matter of executing better and making a few more putts.”
While Southern California, one of the tournament favorites is in the lead after the first round with a four-under 284 and UCLA (winner of the Central Regional) and Auburn are tied for second at one-over 289, some of the other favorites were not to found among the leaders. Florida, the winner of the Southeastern Conference championship and the NCAA East Regional, struggled home to a 13-over par and is in 20th place while three-time defending champion Duke is one shot ahead of LSU in 18th place at 11-over par 301.
While LSU is in 19th place, LSU is just four shots out of a tie for ninth and there is a five-way tie for 13th place right in front of LSU and Duke at 10-over par 300 among Purdue, UC Davis, Arkansas, TCU and Texas.
LSU, besides McChrystal’s one-over 73 counted on the opening day a two-over 74 from freshman Amalie Valle, a four-over 76 from senior Rebecca Kuhn and a five-over 77 from senior Alexis Rather.
A total of 22 golfers shot even par or better with Nannette Hill of Wake Forest the first round leader after tying the course record at five-under par 67. Five golfers are tied for second at three-under 69. The average score for the 126 rounds was 75.33.
The tee times are reversed for the second round on Wednesday with LSU going off in the final wave, beginning at 2:10 p.m. CDT off the first tee. LSU will again play with Furman and UC Davis. The weather is expected to be about seven or eight degrees cooler in the mid-80s but with winds out of the southwest at 20-26 mph with a wind advisory issued for winds gusting over 40 mph between noon and nightfall in the Albuquerque area.
NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championships
Albuquerque, N.M. ? UNM Championship Golf Course
First Round Team Results (Par 288)
1. Southern California 284 -4; 2. UCLA 289 +1; 2. Auburn 289 +1; 4. Arizona State 290 +2; 5. Denver 293 +5; 5. Wake Forest 293 +5; 7. Oklahoma State 294 +6; 8. Texas A&M 295 +7; 9. Virginia 296 +8; 9. Alabama 296 +8; 11. Georgia 297 +9; 11. Tulsa 297 +9; 13. TCU 298 +10; 13. Texas 298 +10; 13. UC Davis 298 +10; 13. Arkansas 298 +10; 13. Purdue 298 +10. 18. Duke 299 +11; 19. LSU 300 +12; 20. Florida 301 +13; 21. Arizona 306 +18; 22. South Carolina 307 +19; 23. Furman 312 +24; 24. UNLV 314 +26.
Individual Top 10 (Par 72)
1. Nannette Hill, Wake Forest, 67 -5; 2. Sydnee Michaels, UCLA, 69 -3; 2. Belen Mozo, Southern California, 69 -3; 2. Azahara Munoz, Arizona State, 69 -3; 2. Alexandra Phelps, New Mexico, 69 -3; 2. Candace Schepperle, Auburn, 69 -3; 7. Lene Krog, Virginia, 70 -2; 7. Paola Moreno, Southern California, 70 -2; 9. Jennie Arseneault, Virginia, 71 -1; 9. Ashley Freeman, Texas A&M, 71 -1; 9. Camilla Lennarth, Alabama, 71 -1; 9. Garrett Phillips, Georgia, 71 -1; 9. Stephanie Sherlock, Denver, 71 -1; 9. Margaret Shirley, Auburn, 71 -1.
LSU Scores
T23. Megan McChrystal 73 +1
T44. Amalie Valle 74 +2
T68. Rebecca Kuhn 76 +4
T85. Alexis Rather 78 +6
T118. Caroline Martens 81 +9