MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama women's golf team shot a combined 289 (+1) in the opening round of the USA Intercollegiate Saturday at the Robert Trent Jones Magnolia Grove – Crossings Course. The Jaguars are tied for fourth out of 17 teams entering the second day of competition.
Julie Hovland and Siti Shaari opened the 2018-19 season with a two-under-par 70 in the first round; the sophomores are tied for sixth individually.
TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Event (Host): 2018 USA Intercollegiate (South Alabama)
Dates: Sept. 15-17 (Saturday-Monday)
Format: 54 holes (18/18/18)
Start Time: 8 a.m.
Course: Robert Trent Jones Magnolia Grove – Crossings Course (par 72, 6,002 yds)
Live Results
TEAM SCORES
1) California Baptist 282 (-6); 2) South Florida 284 (-4); 3) Lamar 288 (E); T4) Tulane 289 (+1); T4) South Alabama 289 (+1); 6) Western Kentucky 290 (+2); 7) Little Rock 291 (+3); T8) Houston Baptist 292 (+4); T8) Stetson 292 (+4); 10) Arkansas State 298 (+10); 11) Southern Miss 299 (+11); T12) UAB 300 (+12); T12) McNeese State 300 (+12); 14) ULM 302 (+14); 15) Georgia State 305 (+17); 16) UT Arlington 306 (+18); 17) Alabama State 311 (+23)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
1) Hanna Kiefer, Stetson, 68 (-4); T2) Ramya Meerakshisundaran, South Florida, 69 (-3); T2) Bailey Tyree, Western Kentucky, 69 (-3); T2) Emelie Blennow, Little Rock, 69 (-3); T2) Kaity Cummings, Houston Baptist, 69 (-3); T6) Siti Shaari, South Alabama, 70
(-2); T6) Natalia Villavicencio, South Florida, 70 (-2); T6) Julie Hovland, South Alabama, 70 (-2); T6) Jocelyn Chee, California Baptist, 70 (-2); T6) Samantha Martirez, California Baptist, 70 (-2); T6) Erica Wang, California Baptist, 70 (-2); T6) Laura Pasalodos Barcelo, Lamar, 70 (-2)
SOUTH ALABAMA SCORES
T6) Siti Shaari, 70 (-2); T6) Julie Hovland, 70 (-2); T20) Nele Mattner, 72 (E); T34) **MacKenzie Peyton, 74 (+2); T63) Lexi Worrell, 77 (+5); T67) Caroline Berge, 78 (+6)
**Competing as an individual
TEE SHOTS
-South Alabama led the field in par-3 scoring (2.85, -3) and tied for third in par-5 scoring (4.80, -4) and number of birdies (14).
-Nele Mattner shot an even-par 72 to tie for 20th during her first round in the Jaguar lineup. The freshman averaged 2.75 (-1) in par-3 scoring and 4.75 (-1) in par-5 scoring.
-Hovland was even on par-4s and averaged 4.50 (-2) on par-5s. The Bergen, Norway native led the Jaguars with four birdies on the day.
-Shaari played 14 holes at par and carded three birdies in the round. She tied for fourth overall in par-3 scoring (2.75, -1) and par-5 scoring (4.50, -2).
-MacKenzie Peyton, competing as an individual, played 13 holes at par and tied for fourth on par-3s (2.75, -1).
THEY SAID IT
Head Coach Matt Luther
On Hovland and Shaari's strong opening round… "It's great to start that way. Julie has been working her butt off and doing all the right things and it's starting to pay off. Siti picked right up where she left off with a great round. She's still learning and she still has a lot of improving to do, but it's great to see the two of them playing well."
On team adjustments for the remainder of the tournament… "We've been talking a lot about how we need to not necessarily make more birdies, but we need to not make more big numbers. We made a ton of birdies today, but unfortunately made some big numbers to go with it or we would be in the lead. We've got a lot of room to improve and we're still only seven shots off the lead, so that's a good thing. Our high rounds that we counted had some double bogeys and we talked about how to manage that."
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSouth_JAGS. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
Join the Chip In Club, the women's golf specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. All donations to the Chip In Club go directly to support the South Alabama women's golf program. For more information on how you can join visit: jaguarathleticfund.com/chipinclub.
—USA—
