KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The LSU women’s golf team will go with a different lineup as it begins defense Friday of its title at the Mercedes-Benz Women’s Collegiate Championship at the Fox Den Country Club.
The Lady Tigers, ranked fourth in the latest National Golf Coaches Association poll and fifth in the early GolfStat Performance rankings, will be without No. 1 player junior Megan McChrystal and sophomore Tessa Teachman, who has played well in LSU’s first two events, as both are suffering from the flu.
The lineup will have juniors Lindy LaBauve of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Montgomery, Texas’ Abby Oberthier in the lineup with regulars sophomore Jacqueline Hedwall, junior Amalie Valle and freshman Mary Michael Maggio.
LaBauve played the qualifying rounds for the Lady Tigers in the season opening NGCA Match Play Championships, while Oberthier makes her first appearance since playing in the LSU Golf Classic in March 2009.
“We just have to go out and play our best and grind away,” said LSU Coach Karen Bahnsen. “We look forward to the challenge and will do everything we can to defend our title. We want Megan and Tessa to get better and get back to join us but we have enough depth to be able to fill their spots and go forward.”
Besides host Tennessee and LSU, the field includes Arkansas, Chattanooga, Florida, Furman, Kent State, Kentucky, Louisville, Ole Miss, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, South Carolina, TCU, Tennessee, Tulane, Texas-San Antonio and Wake Forest.
A year ago, the LSU women’s golf team shot the lowest single round in the 30-year history of the program to record a come-from-behind championship. The Lady Tigers entered the final round in fourth place, seven shots out of the lead, but after shooting a seven-under par 281 LSU finished on top by nine shots. In all, it was a 16-stroke turnaround going from seven down to nine strokes in front of the field. LSU’s winning 54-hole total of one-over par 865 was one shot off the 54-hole school record set in 2001.
The 54-hole event runs through Sunday with tee times beginning at 8 a.m. CDT on Friday. Live scoring can be found on LSUsports.net through golfstat.com and on Saturday there will be live streaming video from the 18th green at the Fox Den Country Club.