RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – LSU sophomore golfer Austin Ernst fired a seven-birdie round of 2-under 70 and will make the cut to the weekend in the LPGA Kraft Nabisco Championship, the first women’s professional major of the 2012 season.
Ernst, playing on a sponsor’s exemption as an amateur entry as the defending NCAA Champion, is the only collegiate player in the field and has played the last 19 holes of the first two rounds in 3-under par. Starting on the back nine Friday, she posted a 2-under 34 and then played the front nine in even par to post a 36-hole total of 147, 3-over par (77-70).
The Seneca, S.C. native moved up from a tie for 103rd to a tie for 57th after Friday’s round and will be one of the low 70 and ties that will play the entire 72 holes.
Saturday and Sunday’s rounds will be televised on The Golf Channel.