BLYTHEVILLE, S.C. ? The eighth-ranked Lady Tigers were determined to show where they belonged in the Southeastern Conference Women’s Golf Tournament and they showed it in Saturday’s second round, shooting the best team score of the day and moving from a tie for seventh place to third entering Sunday’s final round at the University Club at Cobblestone Park.
LSU cut a 12-shot disadvantage down to just two shots for second and five shots to first place No. 17 Arkansas and the Lady Tigers will have a major chance to play for their second SEC championship as they will play in the final wave of the day with first place Arkansas and No. 7 Auburn beginning at 8:50 a.m. EDT.
After shooting a 17-over par 301 on the first day, a more spirited team took to the course and played with a style that has led to two teams wins this season. LSU posted a team score of two-over 286 on the par 71 (team par 284) layout that had team passing Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss and South Carolina as the day progressed.
At the same time Arkansas, which started the day six shots out of the lead, was moving past Auburn for the 36-hole lead. The Lady Backs, looking for their first ever SEC title shot three-over 287 and are at 14-over 582. Auburn, looking for their seventh SEC title and first since 2006, shot 12-over 296 on Saturday and is at 17-over 585. LSU is at 19-over 587.
But if the top three teams aren’t careful, there is the opportunity for the 4-5-6 wave to make a move as all are within 10 shots of the lead. No. 29 Tennessee is six shots back of Arkansas at 20-over 588, with No. 6 Alabama at 23-over 591 and No. 14 Georgia at 592.
Karen Bahnsen apparently reminded the team before the round about the 2000 SEC Championship in Rogers, Ark., when the team came from last after one round to take a brief lead on the final day before finishing second by two shots or this year’s win in Knoxville at the Mercedes-Benz in the fall when LSU rallied from seven strokes down in the final round to win the title by nine shots and it was a message the team took to heart.
“They played really well,” said LSU Coach Karen Bahnsen. “They had the fire in their eyes like we wanted to have and they realized they just needed to step it up and they did what they needed to do to put ourselves back into contention. They played good, confident aggressive golf. I thought we were flat the first day. I don’t know why. Maybe we were being cautious and you can’t be like that. We don’t play golf cautiously and I think that’s what we did on Friday. They were loose and they were ready to go and they knew what they had to do. I was real proud of how we played ourselves back into it. We’ve got some work to still do (Sunday) but we are in a position where we can do it.”
Consistent play got the job done for LSU with sophomore Megan McChrystal using back-to-back birdies on the par four seventh and the par three eighth (her 16th and 17th holes of the day) to finish at one-under par 70. McChrystal just missed three straight at the par five ninth when her 15-foot birdie putt was center of the hole but one turn from falling.
Also the Tigers got an even par round from freshman Tessa Teachman, who leads the tournament after two rounds in pars made with 28 of 36 (77.8 percent), a one-over from senior Caroline Martens, a two-over 73 from sophomore Amalie Valle and a three-over 74 from freshman Jacqueline Hedwall.
McChrystal, who has played the par fives at two-under had six birdies to lead the team through two days, while Hedwall has seven. McChrystal is now in a tie for 11th place after 36 holes in the individual competition, a move of 14 spots from Friday’s first round, at four-over 146 (76-70). Teachman moved up 11 spots to that tie for 11th place with rounds of 75-71. Hedwall is one more stroke back at 147 (73-74), with Valle at 150 for 36 holes (tie for 25th) and Martens at 151 (tie for 30th).
Marta Silva is the individual leader from Georgia at three-under par 139 after following a one-over 72 with a four-under 67 on Saturday. Lucy Nunn of Arkansas fired a second straight 70 and is at two-under 140 and Benedicte Toumpsin of South Carolina is third at one-under 141 (72-69). Nunn was tied for the first round lead at one-under 70.
LSU’s aggregate score of 286 was the lowest LSU has ever posted in an SEC Championship since shooting 287 in the first-round of the championships in 2001 in Gainesville, Fla.
Live scoring for Sunday’s championship round can be found on LSUsports.net through Golfstat.com.
SEC Women’s Golf Tournament
Blytheville, S.C.
Second Round Team Results (Par 284-568)
1. Arkansas 295-287 ? 582 +14; 2. Auburn 289-296 ? 585 +17; 3. LSU 301-286 ? 587 +19; 4. Tennessee 295-293 ? 588 +20; 5. Alabama 300-291 ? 591 +23; 6. Georgia 300-292 ? 592 +24; 7. Ole Miss 301-298 ? 599 +31; 7. South Carolina 299-300 ? 599 +31; 9. Florida 307-295 ? 602 +34; 10. Vanderbilt 304-301 ? 605 +34; 10. Vanderbilt 304-301 ? 605 +37; 11. Kentucky 313-297 ? 610 +42; 12. Mississippi State 318-307 ? 625 +42.
Top 10 Individuals (Par 71-142)
1. Marta Silva, Georgia, 72-67 ? 139 -3; 2. Lucy Nunn, Arkansas, 70-70 ? 140 -2; 3. Benedicte Toumpsin, South Carolina, 72-69 ? 141 -1; 4. Marina Alex, Vanderbilt, 73-69 ? 142 E; 5. Kathleen Ekey, Alabama, 73-70 ? 143 +1; 5. Mallory Hetzel, Georgia, 73-70 ? 143 +1; 5. Kristin Ingram, Arkansas, 73-70 ? 143 +1; 5. Jessica Yadloczky, Florida, 72-71 ? 143 +1; 9. Candace Schepperle, Auburn, 71-74 ? 145 +3; 9. Nicole Smith, Tennessee, 76-69 ? 145 +3.
LSU Scores
T11. Megan McChrystal 76-70 ? 146 +4
T11. Tessa Teachman 75-71 ? 146 +4
T17. Jacqueline Hedwall73-74 ? 147 +5
T25. Amalie Valle 77-73 ? 150 +8
T30. Caroline Martens 79-72 ? 151 +9