AUSTIN, Texas — The 20th-ranked LSU women’s golf team was unable to make up any ground on the field here Friday and remain just outside the qualifying bubble after two rounds of the NCAA Central Regional Golf Tournament at the University of Texas Golf Course.
The Lady Tigers will need to make up two strokes and one position in Saturday’s final round in an attempt to qualify for the NCAA Division I Women’s Championship in Albuquerque, N.M. in two weeks. The top eight teams and the top two individuals who are not on the top eight teams advance to the championship tournament.
McChrystal is fifth among that list of players entering the final round whose teams are not in the top eight.
The freshman from Stuart, Fla., has posted back-to-back rounds of one-over 73 after getting her round back to even on the par-3 eighth hole (her 17th of the day) but finishing with a bogey on her concluding hole for the second straight round.
McChrystal’s total of 146 is presently tied for 15th place after 36 holes.
LSU’s round of 302, 14-over par, was two strokes off the 300 total of the day before and the two added strokes was the difference after two rounds between ninth place and a tie for the eighth and final qualifying spot. Nebraska, seeded way down in the Central Regional field, slipped backwards Friday with an 18-over 306 after a first round 294. Nebraska stands at 24-over 600, with LSU at 602.
Also outside the bubble but chasing with LSU are North Carolina State two shots back at 604 and Florida State one more shot back at 605.
UCLA remained the leader after two rounds, but had to come from behind in the round after losing the top spot for a few holes to Purdue which is in second at 582. TCU is third at nine-over 585. The remainder of the top eight includes Denver (590), Texas (596), Alabama and Texas A&M (597) and Nebraska (600).
LSU will play with Texas A&M and Nebraska in the third round so the Lady Tigers will know how the competition is stacking up as the round goes on.
“We are so close,” said LSU Coach Karen Bahnsen. “We just need to come out (Saturday) and play a strong round of golf. It was unbelievably hot out there (Friday). I cannot remember a round in recent years where it was so hot and it really affected a lot of the players. We have to go out and not worry about other teams and just post a good, solid number.
Live scoring for the final round can be found at LSUsports.net through Golfstat.com.
NCAA Central Regional Golf Tournament
Austin, Texas
Second Round Team Scores (Par 288-576)
1. UCLA 283-293 ? 576 E; 2. Purdue 288-294 ? 582 +6; 3. TCU 285-300 ? 585 +9; 4. Denver 292-298 ? 590 +14; 5. Texas 299-297 ? 596 +20; 6. Alabama 304-293 ? 597 +21; 6. Texas A&M 295-302 ? 597 +21; 8. Nebraska 294-306 ? 600 +24; 9. LSU 300-302 ? 602 +26; 10. Kent State 305-298 ? 604 +28; 10. North Carolina State 300-304 ? 604 +28; 12. Florida State 298-307 ? 605; 13. Texas Tech 307-299 ? 606 +30; 14. East Tennessee State 307-302 ? 609 +33; 15. Pepperdine 304-308 ? 612 +36; 16. Texas State 301-315 ? 616 +40; 17. Notre Dame 302-318 ? 620 +44; 18. Washington 312-310 ? 622; 19. Harvard 314-310 ? 624 +48; 20. Illinois State 313-320 ? 633; 21. Fairleigh Dickinson 354-341 ? 695 +118.
Individual Top 5 (Par 72-144)
1. Valentine Derrey, TCU, 67-70 ? 137 -7; 2. Maria Jose Uribe, UCLA, 63-73 ? 138 -6; 3. Maria Hernandez, Purdue, 66-73 ? 139 -5; 4. Aruka Felqueroso, Coastal Carolina, 70-71 ? 141 -3; 4. Steffi Kirchmayr, Charleston, 71-70 ? 141 -3.
LSU Scores
T13. Megan McChrystal 73-73 ? 146 +2
T42. Rebecca Kuhn 77-75 ? 152 +8
T42. Amalie Valle 73-79 ? 152 +8
T48. Alexis Rather 77-76 ? 153 +9
T63. Caroline Martens 77-78 ? 155 +11