JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The University of South Alabama women's golf team shot a combined 586 (+10) through 36 holes in the UNF Collegiate and is sixth entering Tuesday's final round.
Siti Shaari is tied for sixth overall after carding a 2-under-par 142 on the opening day. Fellow sophomore Caroline Berge shot the team's first hole in one of the season and is ranked 22nd individually (146, +2).
TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Event (Host): 2019 UNF Collegiate (North Florida)
Dates: March 4-5 (Monday-Tuesday)
Format: 54 holes (36/18)
Start Time: 8:30 a.m.
Course: Jacksonville Golf & Country Club (par 72, 5,926 yds)
Live Results
TEAM SCORES
1) Delaware 283-286—569 (-7); 2) Mercer 287-289—576 (E); 3) North Florida 284-293—577 (+1); 4) Eastern Kentucky 296-288—584 (+8); 5) Sam Houston State 292-293—585 (+9); 6) South Alabama 294-292—586 (+10); 7) Chattanooga 297-295—592 (+16); 8) Southern Miss 292-301—593 (+17); T9) Georgia Southern 299-295—594 (+18); T9) Jacksonville State 295-299—594 (+18); T11) Murray State 296-299—595 (+19); T11) Western Kentucky 303-292—595 (+19); 13) Stetson 301-298—599 (+23); 14) Cincinnati 304-296—600 (+24); 15) Charleston Southern 305-299—604 (+28); 16) Daytona State 308-297—605 (+29); 17) UAB 304-304—608 (+32)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
T1) Hanna Alberto, Sam Houston State, 69-69—138 (-6); T1) Ariane Klotz, Delaware, 67-71—138 (-6); T1) Thitaree Sakulbunpanich, Delaware, 68-70—138 (-6); 4) Teresa Conroy, North Florida, 70-69—139 (-5); 5) Karina Kukkonen, Mercer, 69-72—141 (-3); T6) Siti Shaari, South Alabama, 71-71—142 (-2); T6) Amanda Lindahl, Eastern Kentucky, 71-71—142 (-2); T6) Paula Vega, Jacksonville State, 67-75—142 (-2); T9) Elsa Moberly, Eastern Kentucky, 72-71—143 (-1); T9) Lauren Lightfritz, Mercer, 73-70—143 (-1)
SOUTH ALABAMA SCORES
T6) Siti Shaari, 71-71—142 (-2); 22) Caroline Berge, 73-73—146 (+2); T30) Lexi Worrell, 76-72—148 (+4); T47) Julie Hovland, 75-76—151 (+7); T52) MacKenzie Peyton, 75-77—152 (+8); T87) **Nele Mattner, 77-89—166 (+22)
**Competing as an individual
TEE SHOTS
-South Alabama is third in par-3 scoring (3.03, +1) and tied for fourth in par-5 scoring (4.93, -3). The Jaguars played a collective 118 holes at even-par to tie for fifth in the 17-team field.
-Shaari carded a team-high eight birdies on the day to tie for fourth overall. The sophomore is even on par-3 and par-4 holes and leads the Jaguars with a 4.75 (-2) average on par-5s.
-Berge holds a 2.63 (-3) scoring average on par-3 holes, ranking second overall in the 89-player field, and carded the team's only eagle of the day. She and senior MacKenzie Peyton averaged 4.88 (-1) on par-5s.
-Lexi Worrell shot an even-par 72 in the second round, her best one-round total since October's ULM Fred Marx Invitational. The senior is tied for fourth individually with 27 holes played at even-par.
THEY SAID IT
Head Coach Matt Luther
On the opening day: "It was good. We were a lot better at thinking through shots and managing things. Everybody stayed patient and fought hard. It was a good 36-hole day for us."
On Berge's performance: "She's just been swinging it better and doing things better in general. She's got a lot of game and she's figuring that out. I didn't watch her hit one shot today, but I watched her hit a lot in the practice round. She was driving it the best I've ever seen her and hitting a lot of good iron shots. That's a recipe for shooting some pretty good scores."
On Shaari's efforts: "She's got a ton of ability. When she manages herself well, she shoots great scores. She did a great job of that today. She stayed positive and stayed present with the shots she was hitting and didn't worry about her score at all. She hit a lot of really good shots. She could've really shot low, but being in the top six in a really good field is great for her."
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.
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