PARRISH, Fla. – Coach Karen Bahnsen got the positive start she wanted for her fourth-ranked LSU women’s golf team as the Lady Tigers are in first place after two rounds Monday of the 2011 Central District Invitational.
The Lady Tigers played the par 72, 6,099 yard River Wilderness Golf Club in seven over 583 for the first 36 holes of the 54 hole event that concludes on Tuesday with rounds of five-over 293 and two-over 290. The Lady Tigers lead Texas A&M by one shot (290-294 – 584) and first-round leader 16th-ranked Iowa State (289-296 – 585). TCU is fourth and still within four shots of the lead at 587 after 36 holes.
“It was a good day for our first competition of the spring,” said Bahnsen of her team that had a team win and two seconds in four tournaments in the fall. “We left a few strokes out there but I’m very pleased with our position and now we just need to come out (Tuesday), remained focus and complete our job.”
Three LSU players are also in position to possibly capture the individual championship as well entering the final round. Freshman Austin Ernst, ranked 39th in the country, is at three-under after two rounds of 72 and 69 that puts her at three-under for the tournament and three shots out of the lead of Brooke Beeler of TCU.
Ernst had one birdie and one bogey in her morning round and then had four birdies and a bogey on her final hole of the day in the nightcap.
Senior Megan McChrystal, the country’s top female golfer after the fall semester, is in a tie for fourth at one-under par 143 with rounds of 71-72. McChrystal had seven birdies and an eagle on her day. Sophomore Mary Michael Maggio, ranked 30th in the country, is at three-over 147 after rounds of 73 and 74. Maggio had eight birdies on the day.
LSU also counted a five-over 77 and a three-over 75 from junior Jacqueline Hedwall in the play-five, count-four format of college golf.
The final round shotgun start is set for 7 a.m. CST and live scoring is available at LSUsports.net through Golfstat.com. Follow LSU Women’s Golf on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/LSUwomensgolf and on Twitter @LSUwomensgolf.
Central District Invitational
Second Round Team Results (Par 288-576)
1. LSU 293-290 – 583 +7; 2. Texas A&M 290-294 – 584 +8; 3. Iowa State 289-296 – 585 +9; 4. TCU 290-297 – 587 +11; 5. Kent State 303-293 – 596 +20; 6. Northwestern 294-304 – 598 +16; 7. Michigan State 300-303 – 603 +27; 7. Michigan 301-302 – 603 +27; 9. Ohio State 303-302 – 605 +29; 10. Minnesota 307-300 – 607 +31; 11. Notre Dame 303-308 – 611 +35; 11. Arkansas 302-309 – 611 +35; 13. Indiana 304-312 – 616 +40; 14. Baylor 303-314 – 617 +41; 15. Missouri 313-321 – 634 +58.
Individual Top 5 (Par 72-144)
1. Brook Beeler, TCU, 65-73 – 138 -6; 2. Austin Ernst, LSU, 72-69 – 141 -3; 3. Mercedes Germino, Kent State, 71-71 – 142 -2; 4. Megan McChrystal, LSU, 71-72 – 143 -1; 4. Katerina Ruzickova, Texas A&M, 69-74 – 143 -1.
LSU Scores
2. Austin Ernst 72-69 -141 -3
T4. Megan McChrystal 71-72 – 143 -1
T8. Mary Michael Maggio 73-74 – 147 +3
T37. Jacqueline Hedwall 77-75 – 152 +8
T58. Tessa Teachman 80-77 – 157 +13