KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The LSU women’s golf team struggled at times in the wet, cold conditions Friday to finish in a tie for 10th after one round of the Mercedes-Benz Women’s Championships at the Fox Den Country Club.
The fourth-ranked Lady Tigers are playing the tournament without two of their top players ? junior Megan McChrystal and sophomore Tessa Teachman ? who remained home with the flu.
LSU posted an 18-over par 306 over the par 72 course that has been saturated with three days of rain. Host Tennessee was the only team to get things going over the tough going, posting a five-under par score of 283 to lead the event by 13 shots over Kent State and Louisville at eight-over 296.
The Lady Tigers got three-over 75 scores from both junior Amalie Valle and freshman Mary Michael Maggio to tie for 23rd place after 18 of the 54-holes in the event. Junior Abby Oberthier was solid in her first round since last season’s LSU Golf Classic, posting a five-over score of 77. Jacqueline Hedwall and Lindy LaBauve posted rounds of 79.
“It rained almost the whole round and the course was just saturated,” said LSU Women’s Golf Coach Karen Bahnsen. “We had some bad breaks and things like that bite us, but we hung in there and will try to get it back (Saturday).”
LSU had to fight off seven double-bogeys during the course of the round.
The second round is scheduled for Saturday of the 54-hole event that runs through Sunday. Live scoring can be found at LSUsports.net through golfstat.com and live streaming of play from the 18th hole will begin in late morning from the golf course.
Mercedes-Benz Women’s Championship
Knoxville, Tenn. ? Par 72-288
1. Tennessee 283 -5; 2. Kent State 296 +8; 2. Louisville 296 +8; 4. Chattanooga 300 +12; 5. South Carolina 302 +14; 5. North Carolina State 302 +14; 7. Arkansas 304 +16; 7. Florida 304 +16; 7. Tulane 304 +16; 10. LSU 306 +18; 10. Ohio State 306 +18; 10. Notre Dame 306 +18; 13. UTSA 309 +21; 13. Mississippi 309 +21; 15. Furman 310 +22; 16. Wake Forest 312 +24; 17. TCU 314 +26; 18. Kentucky 322 +34.
Top 5 Individuals
1. Diana Cantu, Tennessee, 69 -3; 2. Ginny Brown 70 -2; 3. Susana Benavides, Ohio State, 71 -1; 3. Nathanlie Mansson, Tennessee, 71 -1; 3. Mandi Morrow, Tennessee, 71 -1.
LSU Scores
T23. Amalie Valle 75 +3
T23. Mary Michael Maggio 75 +3
T42. Abby Obertheir 77 +5
T63. Lindy LaBauve 79 +7
T63. Jacqueline Hedwall 79 +7