TRINITY, Texas – LSU’s Austin Ernst and Arkansas’ Emily Tubert helped dig the United States team out of an early hole and left the American team still in second place at the halfway point of The Spirit International Amateur Golf Championships Thursday at the Whispering Pines Golf Club.
The USA foursome remains in second at 11-under par for 36 holes after shooting an even par 144 best ball score in round two, losing two strokes to the leading Canadian team, which posted 2-under 142. Canada is at 14-under 274 with two rounds to go with the Americans three shots back at 277. Korea is one shot back in third at 278 after the day’s best combined best ball round of 4-under 140.
The American team started on Hole 10 in the second round and quickly found themselves 2-over as both Austin and Tubert bogeyed the par four hole and the best the men’s duo of Nathan Smith and Kelly Kraft could manage was a bogey as well. In fact by the time the Americans reached their eighth hole of the day, they were starting 5-over par in the face. But then the ladies took over.
Ernst, the defending NCAA champion birdied the 17th hole (their eighth of the day) and Tubert took over early on the final nine holes, posting birdies on one and two. The pair bogeyed the third but each player got a birdie coming home to finish at 1-under 71 and third place in the women’s competition at 4-under 140.
The Argentina women shot 4-under 68 on the day and leads that best ball competition at 7-under 137, one shot ahead of Korea (6-under 138).
The American men were able to get it back to 1-over par 73, putting them at 7-under 137 in their best ball event, tying them for fourth, five shots out of the lead of the Canadian men at 12-under 132.
The third round is set for Saturday and live scoring can be found at Golfstatresults.com and the live webcast of the third round will begin at 10 a.m. at www.TheSpiritgolf.com.