BRYAN, Texas – Birdies on the final three holes of her second round, boosted LSU freshman golfer Austin Ernst to a 6-under-par 66 and a three-shot lead midway through the 2011 NCAA DI Women’s Golf Championships at The Traditions Golf Club.
Also, after two rounds the highly-ranked Lady Tiger golf team is also very much in contention for the national championship, standing just four shots out of the lead, alone in third place.
Ernst, posted seven birdies and just one bogey on the round and has a two-round total of 6-under 138 (72-66) to lead the event by three shots over Numa Gulyanamitta of Purdue at three-under 141 (71-70). Three other golfers are at 2-under par 142 with four others at even-par 144.
“I started off really well. I was 3-under through five,” said Ernst (who started on hole 10). “I made a lot of putts. I hit it really close. It was really solid. I was hitting okay (Wednesday) and (Thursday) I tried to stay more on top of the ball and I hit it a lot better. I missed one shot all day and that was the drive on three (bogey).
On that hole, Ernst hit into a trap, had to lay up and couldn’t get up and down for par. But on the final three holes (7, 8, 9) she made putts of four feet on seven, eight inches after a spectacular approach shot on eight and then a rolled a 20-footer on the final hole giving her 2-4-3 finish on the card and 33 on both sides.
“I played smart most of the day and went for pins that I could get to,” Ernst said. “I’ve hit the ball really well this spring and it’s just been a matter of getting one or two putts to fall. Once I make one, I feel confident I can make a few. I just played solid golf and hit all my spots. The wind was whipping but I was really comfortable. I had my assistant (coach) Alexis (Rather) with me all day so if I ever had any questions about the wind we kind of discussed that and she basically let me go play.”
Ernst’s 66 is tied for the fourth lowest round in the 30-plus year history of LSU women’s golf.
“She’s a great ball striker,” LSU Coach Karen Bahnsen said of her freshman. “She always has been. I’ve seen it coming all year. It’s a matter of her working her tail off.”
LSU as a team didn’t score as low on Thursday, but put together a second solid round in the somewhat adverse conditions that kept them right in the thick of this four-day championship chase. Second-ranked UCLA remained in the lead with a 7-over round and stands at 8-over 584 after 36 holes (289-295). Defending champion Purdue is second at 11-over 587 (292-295) with LSU third at 588.
Host Texas A&M is one shot back at 13-over 589 with Vanderbilt and Virginia tied for fifth at 15-over 591. Florida is sixth at 592 and then it is six shots back to three teams tied for eighth and another three teams a shot further back tied for 11th.
Ernst’s 6-under played a major role in the success of the LSU round, but Jacqueline Hedwall got a late birdie to finish at 4-over 76, while Tessa Teachman, Megan McChrystal and Amalie Valle all shot 5-over 77.
“We try to take it one day at a time,” said Bahnsen. “That’s the typical coach cliché stuff but honestly this golf course is about managing your brain more than anything. You can’t get greedy on some of these pin locations because there are some tough pins and some tough holes. We are trying not to have a lot of mental mistakes. We did today. That’s why we had a couple of higher numbers. Fortunately, Austin saved the day. She really did. It’s a total team effort to win the championship and we’re getting a total effort out of the entire team.”
With its strong showing, LSU will play in the final wave of the third round with UCLA and Purdue, beginning at 1:25 p.m. CT with the Ernst, Gulyanamitta of Purdue and Lua of UCLA in the final pairing of the day at 2:09 p.m.
Live scoring for the third round can be found at www.LSUsports.net/livestats through NCAA.com. Also, on Friday, begins the first two days of live internet video streaming of play on holes 16, 17 and 18 on NCAA.com. Will Haskett and former collegiate All-American and LPGA player Kelli Kuehne will call the action that begins at 2 p.m.
Follow LSU women’s golf for in-round updates at www.Facebook.com/LSUwomensgolf and on Twitter @LSUwomensgolf.
NOTES – Ernst was a hit with the media interviewing her after the round when asked with her father (Mark) a PGA Club Professional and brother (Drew) playing in an NCAA men’s regional for Coastal Carolina, would the 66 make her the best in the Ernst family she said, “I don’t know. I’m sure that will be up for debate in the family” … A reporter asked her about how a freshman could possibly shoot 66, prompting her to say, “The ball doesn’t know how old you are” … McChrystal, making her fourth NCAA Championship appearance, will miss graduation ceremonies on campus Friday while here playing the third round of the event.
NCAA DI Women’s Golf Championships
The Traditions Club – Bryan, Texas
Second Round Team Results (Par 288-576)
1. UCLA 289-295 – 584 +8; 2. Purdue 292-295 – 587 +11; 3. LSU 292-296 – 588 +12; 4. Texas A&M 295-294 – 589 +13; 5. Vanderbilt 297-294 – 591 +15; 5. Virginia 291-300 – 591 +15; 7. Florida 294-298 – 592 +16; 8. California 306-292 – 598 +22; 8. Tennessee 299-299 – 598 +22; 8. North Carolina 305-293 – 598 +22; 11. Arizona 304-295 – 599 +23; 11. Arizona State 296-303 – 599 +23; 11. Minnesota 305-294 – 599 +23; 14. Arkansas 305-296 – 601 +25; 15. Southern California 302-302 – 604 +28; 15. Alabama 305-296 – 601 +25; 17. Wake Forest 298-307 – 605 +29; 18. Stanford 308-305 – 613 +18; 19. South Carolina 302-315 – 617 +41; 20. UC Davis 313-305 – 618 +42; 20. Notre Dame 308-310 – 618 +42; 20. Ohio State 303-315 – 618 +42; 23. Washington 312-307 – 619 +43; 24. Coastal Carolina 322-302 – 624.
Individual Top 5 (Par 72-144)
1. Austin Ernst, LSU, 72-66 – 138 -6; 2. Numa Gulyanamitta, Purdue, 71-70 – 141 -3; 3. Tiffany Lua, UCLA, 71-71 – 142 -2; 3. Mia Piccio, Florida, 72-70 – 142 -2; 3. Marta Silva Zamora, Georgia, 71-71 – 142 -2.
LSU Scores
1. Austin Ernst 72-66 – 138 -6
T26. Jacqueline Hedwall 72-76 – 148 +4
T30. Megan McChrystal 72-77 – 149 +5
T70. Amalie Valle 76-77 – 153 +9
T101. Tessa Teachman 81-77 – 158 +14