CHARLESTON, S.C. — The LSU women’s golf team started out the 2011-12 season much like the 2010-11 opening with a strong under par round to secure the first-round lead of the College of Charleston Cougar Classic at the Yeamans Hall Course Sunday.
The Lady Tigers, ranked fourth in the country, posted a round of eight-under par 280 to have a four-shot first-day lead over Florida. LSU, which equaled the third best single round in school history, was one of five teams that broke par on the opening day of the 54-hole tournament which runs through Tuesday.
After Florida, North Carolina is at three under in third and North Carolina State and Alabama are tied for fourth at one-under par.
Individually, the round was a successful return to college competition for both senior Tessa Teachman and defending NCAA champion Austin Ernst. Senior Teachman of Baton Rouge posted six birdies in a round that finished at five-under 67, a number matched by Ernst as well. The Seneca, S.C., sophomore opener her season with five birdies and five pars through 10 holes and eventually had the round to as much as six under.
Teachman and Ernst are tied for second place in the individual competition, one shot out of the lead of Erica Popson of Tennessee, at six-under 66. A total of 19 golfers broke par on the 6,205 yard, par 72 course.
LSU’s lineup, which includes three returnees from last year’s team that finished third in the NCAA Championships, had success throughout the lineup with senior Jacqueline Hedwall of Sweden and Indiana transfer Lindsay Gahm, both posting one-over 71s and freshman Madeline Sagstrom of Sweden a two-over 74.
“I was really proud of all of them,” said LSU Coach Karen Bahnsen on the opening round of her 28th season as LSU head coach. “It was a good start for the season and now we just need to keep it going the next two days. I was very proud of our two new players (Gahm, Sagstrom) who fought through all round. It was a good day.”
The second round is set for Monday and LSU will play in the afternoon wave, teeing off at 11:45 a.m. CST.
Cougar Classic
First Round Team Results (Par 288)
1. LSU 280 -8; 2. Florida 284 -4; 3. North Carolina 285 -3; 4. North Carolina State 287 -1; Alabama 287 -1; 6. Tennessee 289 +1; 7. Vanderbilt 290 +2; 8. Duke 292 +4; 9. College of Charleston 293 +5; 10. Georgia 295 +7; 11. Ole Miss 296 +8; 12. Maryland 299 +11; 13. Furman 301 +13; 14. Miami 302 +14; 15. Penn State 304 +16; 16. UNC-Greensboro 305 +17; 16. Minnesota 305 +17; 18. South Carolina 307 +19; 18. Wake Forest 307 +19; 20. Wisconsin 308 +20; 21. Richmond 315 +27; 22. Charleston Southern 320 +32.
Individual Top 5 (Par 72)
1. Erica Popson, Tennessee, 66 -6; 2. Laetitia Beck, Duke, 67 -5; 2. Austin Ernst, LSU, 67 -5; Tessa Teachman, 67 -5; 5. Haley Sanders, Mississippi, 68 -4.
LSU Scores
T2. Austin Ernst 67 -5
T2. Tessa Teachman 67 -5
T25. Lindsay Gahm 73 +1
T25. Jacqueline Hedwall 73 +1
T37. Madeline Sagstrom 74 +2