HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – The Long Cove Club at the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate has been a favorite for the nationally-ranked LSU women’s golf team with second and third place finishes there over the last two years.
Now in the team’s third straight appearance in the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate, the Lady Tigers handled things well in the cool conditions and stand in second place after the first round of the 54-hole event which runs through Sunday.
The seventh-ranked (Golfweek/Sagarin) Lady Tigers posted an opening round of 7-over 291 over the par 71 layout to stand only behind Southern California which has the first day lead at 1-over 285. LSU is two shots up on Duke, Arkansas and North Carolina, tied for third at 293, 9-over par. Auburn and Arizona State are five more shots back in sixth at 298.
Individually, the pair that tied for the championship of the Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate, sophomore Caroline Nistrup of Denmark and senior Madelene Sagstrom of Sweden are right there in the mix again after the opening 18 holes with even par 71s. Nistrup had three birdies in her round while Sagstrom had four birdies and made a nice comeback to steady her round after going par, double, bogey to start the round off hole No. 10.
The pair is tied for sixth at 71, just two shots behind Gabriella Then of Southern California at 2-under 69. Four players are tied for second at 1-under 70.
LSU also counted a 3-over 74 from junior Elise Bradley and a 4-over 75 from junior Nadine Dreher. Carly Ray Goldstein had a 7-over 78. Bradley is in a group tied for 22nd after the first round.
Statistically, the two top teams were 1-2 on the par 5 holes with USC at 3-under par and LSU at 2-under. LSU was second behind only North Carolina in birdies with 13. Individually, Sagstrom is in a group tied for best on the par 3s at -1 and a group tied for best on the par 5s at -2.
LSU is continuing a run that started in the fall’s final event which the Lady Tigers won then a second place finish in Puerto Rico and a win at the Allstate Sugar Bowl in the spring. LSU will play with Southern Cal and Arkansas in the final wave off No. 1 at 9:10 a.m. in the second round on Saturday.
Live scoring for the tournament can be found at LSUsports.net through Golfstatresults.com and updates on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/LSUwomensgolf and @LSUwomengolf on Twitter.
DARIUS RUCKER INTERCOLLEGIATE
Hilton Head Island, S.C. – Long Cove Club
First Round Team Results (par 284)
1. Southern California 285 +1; 2. LSU 291 +7; 3. Arkansas 293 +9; 3. Duke 293 +9; 3. North Carolina 293 +9; 6. Auburn 298 +14; 6. Arizona State 298 +14; 8. South Carolina 299 +15; 9. Furman 300 +16; 9. Tennessee 300 +16; 9. Mississippi State 300 +16; 12. Vanderbilt 301 +17; 13. Alabama 303 +19; 13. Georgia 303 +19; 13. Wake Forest 303 +19; 16. Virginia 304 +20; 17. Kentucky 310 +26.
Top 5 Individuals (Par 71)
1. Gabriella Then, Southern California, 69 -2; 2. Anna Newell, Tennessee, 70 -1; 2. Leslie Cloots, North Carolina, 70 -1; 2. Karen Chung, Southern California, 70 -1; 2. Gaby Lopez, Arkansas, 70 -1.
LSU Scores
T6. Madelene Sagstrom 71 E
T6. Caroline Nistrup 71 E
T22. Elise Bradley 74 +3
T35. Nadine Dreher 75 +4
T63. Carly Ray Goldstein 78 +7