HONOLULU, Hawaii — The 12th-ranked LSU women’s golf team put itself in good position Tuesday with a fifth-place showing, just five shots out of the lead after the first round of the Dr. Donnis Thompson Rainbow Wahine Invitational at the Olomana Golf Links.
LSU posted a first-round total of 16-over par 304 on the par 72 mountain-side layout and stands just five shots out of Oregon State’s 299 (11-over) lead. Defending champion and the nation’s No. 2 team, Arizona is second at 300 with TCU at 302 and Oklahoma State at 303. LSU is tied with Oklahoma and Brigham Young.
“It was a very good first round,” said LSU Coach Karen Bahnsen. “We can shoot even better. With Monday’s practice rounds, the girls have now seen the course twice and that should help them. The conditions were there for someone to really go low and that didn’t really happen, so we, along with several other teams, are right in the thick of things.”
Katy Harris, the LSU senior from South Bend, Ind., and the nation’s 10th-ranked golfer in the Sagarin/GolfWeek national poll, fired a 1-over par 73 to lead the Tigers and she stands in a tie for fourth place in the individual competition, just three strokes out of the lead of Oregon State’s Stacie Ferguson, who posted a 2-under 70. That was one of just three scores of even par or better on the day on the 6,075 layout which features water on the front side and hilly terrain on the back nine.
Harris played a steady round with just two bogeys and one birdie on the card.
“Katy had a strong round and she’s getting familiar with the role of the greens and that will help her a lot on Wednesday,” said Bahnsen.
Meredith Duncan had a 4-over 76 for LSU as did freshman Isabell Dornellas, with Lindy Hitdlebaugh’s 79 the final counting score on the opening day for the Tigers in the 18-team field.
LSU was third in their last appearance in this tournament on a different course in 1998 with Harris, then a freshman, finishing second to LSU’s Ashley Winn in the individual competition.
The tournament runs through Thursday.
Dr. Donnis Thompson Rainbow Wahine Invitational
Olomana Golf Links — Honolulu, Hawaii
Team Results (Par 288)
1. Oregon State 299 +11; 2. Arizona 300 +12; 3. TCU 302 +14; 4. Oklahoma State 303 +15; 5. LSU 304 +16; 5. Oklahoma 304 +16; 5. Brigham Young 304 +16; 8. Colorado State 305 +17; 8. Colorado 305 +17; 10. Minnesota 309 +21; 11. Weber State 314 +26; 12. UTEP 322 +34; 13. Hawaii 324 +36; 14. Wyoming 327 +39; 14. Wichita State 327 +39; 16. Cincinnati 329 +41; 17. Osaka Gakuin 333 +45; 18. Montana State 336 +48.
Individual Top 5 (Par 72)
1. Stacie Ferguson, Oregon State, 37-33 — 70 -2; 2. Natalie Gulbis, Arizona, 37-34 — 71 -1; 2. Christi Cano, Oklahoma State, 36-35 — 71 -1; 4. Katy Harris, LSU, 37-36 — 73 +1; 4. Christina Baena, Arizona, 37-36 — 73 +1; 4. Carrie Summerhays, BYU, 73 +1.
LSU Scores
t4. Katy Harris 37-36 — 73 +1
t17. Meredith Duncan 38-38 — 76 +4
t17. Isabel Dornellas 38-38 — 76 +4
t45. Lindy Hitdlebaugh 39-40 — 79 +7
t53. Lesley McClurg 40-40 — 80 +8