NEW ORLEANS – Senior Megan McChrystal and junior Jacqueline Hedwall both fired three-under par 69s to put the fourth-ranked LSU Lady Tigers in good position after the windy first round Sunday of the Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate golf tournament at English Turn.
The pair are tied for second in the individual competition while the Lady Tigers are in third place just three shots out of the lead. No. 15 and tournament host the Tulane Green Wave has the first-round lead in the 54-hole event at even par 288.
Fifth-ranked Duke is right ahead of LSU at two-over 290, while the Lady Tigers are at three-over 291 in a field loaded with ranked teams. No. 10 Arizona State is fourth at 293 with No. 13 Vanderbilt fifth at 294 and No. 1 Alabama in sixth at 295.
McChrystal and Hedwall are three strokes off the lead of Laetitia Beck of Duke who shot six-under 66 on the par-72 layout. Beck had six birdies and an eagle in her round.
McChrystal tallied five birdies in her round of 69 and Hedwall had one of the eagles on the day and birdied the 18th hole to get her three-under total, one of the few birdies on the difficult final hole.
LSU also counted a one-over round by junior Tessa Teachman, rebounding from some struggles earlier in the week in the spring opener at Parrish, Fla. Teachman’s 73 was a solid case of perseverance when LSU needed something good for its team score. After starting the first 14 holes in two-under par, Teachman got in big trouble on the 15th, taking a four-over nine, to drop to two over par. But Teachman stayed in the round, and finished birdie-bogey-birdie to get back to one under.
LSU had to count an eight-over 80 from Austin Ernst to complete the team scoring in the five-play, count four event.
“We put ourselves in a good position,” said LSU Coach Karen Bahnsen. “We need to keep grinding from top to bottom. It was so windy out there (Sunday) Tessa didn’t let a bad hole ruin her round, staying in there and getting a birdie at the end was huge. I was very proud of her. Megan and Jacqueline had good rounds. Now we need to come out (Monday) and continue to make shots and focus on each hole.”
Tulane was led by Ashley McKinney at two-under par 70 (tied for fourth) and Janine Fellows and Maribel Lopez Parras each shot one-under 71 and are in a group tied for seventh place.
The tournament continues with the second round at 8 a.m. at English Turn. Live scoring can be found on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/LSUwomensgolf and on Twitter @LSUwomensgolf.
Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate
At English Turn – New Orleans, La.
First Round Team Results (Par 288)
1. Tulane 288 E; 2. Duke 290 +2; 3. LSU 291 +3; 4. Arizona State 293 +5; 5. Vanderbilt 294 +6; 6. Alabama 295 +7; 7. Southern California 297 +9; 8. Virginia 298 +10; 8. Florida 298 +10; 10. Tennessee 300 +12; 11. Purdue 302 +14; 11. Auburn 302 +14; 11. Texas A&M 302 +14; 14. Mississippi 303 +15; 15. Kentucky 305 +17; 16. Denver 306 +18; 17. North Carolina 307 +19.
Top 5 Individuals (Par 72)
1. Laetitia Beck, Duke, 66 -6; 2. Jacqueline Hedwall, LSU, 69 -3; 2. Megan McChrystal, LSU, 69 -3; 4. Megan Grehan, Vanderbilt, 70 -2; Isabelle Lendl, Florida, 70 -2; 4. Ashley McKenney, Tulane, 70 -2.
LSU Scores
T2. Jacqueline Hedwall 69 -3
T2. Megan McChrystal 69 -3
T15. Tessa Teachman 70 -2
T73. Austin Ernst 80 +8
94. Mary Michael Maggio 85 +13