STEPHANIE MEADOW LEADS, GEMMA DRYBURGH NOW SHARING 23RD PLACE
By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
British champion Stephanie Meadow has moved into the halfway lead in the NCAA Division 1 women's championship over the University of Georgia's golf course at Athens, Georgia.
The Alabama student from Jordanstown, Northern Ireland shaved two strokes off her opening effort to return a 67 for an eight-under-par tally of 136.
She is one shot ahead of Annie Park (Southern California) who also had a second-round 67.
Aberdeen-born Gemma Dryburgh, a student at Tulane University, New Orleans, had an off day on the gre3ens and has dropped to a share of 23rd place on 145 with scores of 71 and 74.
Gemma's father, John, a North Sea Oil company executive in Aberdeen, who is over in Georgia watching the action, told Kirkwoodgolf:
"Gemma played very well again today. She is driving the ball superbly. Had nine birdie attempts within 8 feet and made only two. She also three-putted twice for two of the bogeys. It's her first round over par in six since the last round of the Conference final so she has had a good run.
"It's a very tough set up (at Athens, Georgia) and on many of the holes there is only feet between a brilliant shot, a difficult putt or disaster."
Edinburgh's Sally Watson, the only other Scot in the star-studded field of 126 players, is sharing 57th place on 149 with rounds of 76 and 73.
Southern California (560) have gone into a big lead in the team championship, ahead of defending champions Alabama (572) and Duke (575).
Stanford (578) are tied fifth and Tulane (584) ninth in the field of 24 teams.
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
British champion Stephanie Meadow has moved into the halfway lead in the NCAA Division 1 women's championship over the University of Georgia's golf course at Athens, Georgia.
The Alabama student from Jordanstown, Northern Ireland shaved two strokes off her opening effort to return a 67 for an eight-under-par tally of 136.
She is one shot ahead of Annie Park (Southern California) who also had a second-round 67.
Aberdeen-born Gemma Dryburgh, a student at Tulane University, New Orleans, had an off day on the gre3ens and has dropped to a share of 23rd place on 145 with scores of 71 and 74.
Gemma's father, John, a North Sea Oil company executive in Aberdeen, who is over in Georgia watching the action, told Kirkwoodgolf:
"Gemma played very well again today. She is driving the ball superbly. Had nine birdie attempts within 8 feet and made only two. She also three-putted twice for two of the bogeys. It's her first round over par in six since the last round of the Conference final so she has had a good run.
"It's a very tough set up (at Athens, Georgia) and on many of the holes there is only feet between a brilliant shot, a difficult putt or disaster."
Edinburgh's Sally Watson, the only other Scot in the star-studded field of 126 players, is sharing 57th place on 149 with rounds of 76 and 73.
Southern California (560) have gone into a big lead in the team championship, ahead of defending champions Alabama (572) and Duke (575).
Stanford (578) are tied fifth and Tulane (584) ninth in the field of 24 teams.
REPORT FROM THE GOLF DIGEST WEBSITE
USC women hold halfway lead at NCAAs
By BRENDAN MOHLER
ATHENS, Georgia.—The Southern California Trojans took control on the second day of the NCAA Women’s Championship with a course- and tournament-record 12-under 276, good for a 36-hole total of 16-under 560 that has them 12 shots ahead of defending champion Alabama.
Anchored by freshman Annie Park, whose precision putting carried her to a five-under 67, the women in gold and cardinal added a round of 69 from Kyung Kim and two 70s from Sophia Popov and Rachel Morris to complete a historic day.
“We got off to a great start, hitting great shots, making birdies,” said USC women's coach Andrea Gaston, who felt like more of a spectator than a coach for most of the round. “With a start like that, the momentum can really help the rest of the team.”
That was certainly the case on a day when the greens at the University of Georgia Golf Club firmed up, but friendlier pin positions allowed for slightly more aggressive play on certain approach shots.
Having a round in the books seemed to make some players more comfortable in Round 2. A Tuesday 67 by San Jose State’s Regan de Guzman led the field by two shots, but on Wednesday, Alabama’s Stephanie Meadow, Vanderbilt’s Jenny Hahn, Tulane’s Maribel Lopez Porras, and USC’s Park all shot 67.
“I’m just trying to be committed and relaxed over every shot,” said Meadow, whose eight-under 136 leads the individual race by one shot over Park. “I set a goal this week and it was all mental.”
USC may have a commanding lead, but the experiences that some of Trojans have dealt with recently may prove more beneficial than the 12-shot cushion.
ATHENS, Georgia.—The Southern California Trojans took control on the second day of the NCAA Women’s Championship with a course- and tournament-record 12-under 276, good for a 36-hole total of 16-under 560 that has them 12 shots ahead of defending champion Alabama.
Anchored by freshman Annie Park, whose precision putting carried her to a five-under 67, the women in gold and cardinal added a round of 69 from Kyung Kim and two 70s from Sophia Popov and Rachel Morris to complete a historic day.
“We got off to a great start, hitting great shots, making birdies,” said USC women's coach Andrea Gaston, who felt like more of a spectator than a coach for most of the round. “With a start like that, the momentum can really help the rest of the team.”
That was certainly the case on a day when the greens at the University of Georgia Golf Club firmed up, but friendlier pin positions allowed for slightly more aggressive play on certain approach shots.
Having a round in the books seemed to make some players more comfortable in Round 2. A Tuesday 67 by San Jose State’s Regan de Guzman led the field by two shots, but on Wednesday, Alabama’s Stephanie Meadow, Vanderbilt’s Jenny Hahn, Tulane’s Maribel Lopez Porras, and USC’s Park all shot 67.
“I’m just trying to be committed and relaxed over every shot,” said Meadow, whose eight-under 136 leads the individual race by one shot over Park. “I set a goal this week and it was all mental.”
USC may have a commanding lead, but the experiences that some of Trojans have dealt with recently may prove more beneficial than the 12-shot cushion.
In both 2010
and 2012, USC finished second at the national championship by a single shot. In this format,
a significant number of strokes can be made up in only a few holes, a fact Gaston knows just how to deal with.
“Three of our players know what it’s like to lose by a shot,” said Gaston, referring to sophomore Doris Chen and juniors Morris and Popov. “It’s a very demanding course and the hole locations will get really tough out there. You have to remain in the moment.”
Alabama coach Mic Potter wasn’t disappointed with his team’s play thus far and found comfort in the strength of his players.
“I think I feel pretty good. We are capable of shooting what Southern Cal shot today,” said Potter, noting that the Crimson Tide came from behind to win three events earlier in the season. “But now we have to be more aggressive. We have to let it go and free things up.”
Dan Brooks, who coached his Duke squad to three consecutive titles from 2005-07, wasn’t intimidated by USC’s record-setting day. Led by freshman Celine Boutier’s two-under 142, the Blue Devils are in third place, 15 shots back at one under.
“We’ve gone low before—in fact we’ve gone low his spring,” he said. “I was very happy with my team because we got into some trouble early. But there was no panic. We played our final holes really well.”
Anything can happen with 36 holes still to play. Last year at this time, USC trailed Alabama by 14 shots only to cut the lead to two after 54 holes before a back-and-forth final round ended with a one-shot Alabama victory. Drama looms with two days remaining.
****
* The previous course record at the University of Georgia GC was a 10-under 278, set by Alabama at the 2012 Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic. The previous NCAA Women’s Championship tournament record was an 11-under 277 set by Arizona State in 1998 at the University Ridge GC in Madison, Wisc.
* Oregon senior Hanule Sky Seo made a hole-in-one with a six-iron on the par-3 167-yard eighth hole, the first of her career. “I pulled it a little; the ball hit the hill but rolled toward the hole. It slowed down before going in,” said Seo, a transfer from Penn State. She shot even-par 72 Wednesday, and was given the flag from the eighth green after it had been signed by her playing partners.
* When players from the same school finish their rounds, the player who finished most recently often will carry the bag of the next player to finish away from the 18th green after the group’s last putt has been holed. It’s a sign of team camaraderie that you don’t see anywhere else in golf, and it let’s each player focus on properly signing her scorecard.
* Second-round play was suspended due to inclement weather at 4:58 p.m. EDT and resumed at 7 p.m. EDT. Four groups from the afternoon wave, however, did not get to finish their rounds as play was stopped again at 8 p.m. due to more lightning.
“Three of our players know what it’s like to lose by a shot,” said Gaston, referring to sophomore Doris Chen and juniors Morris and Popov. “It’s a very demanding course and the hole locations will get really tough out there. You have to remain in the moment.”
Alabama coach Mic Potter wasn’t disappointed with his team’s play thus far and found comfort in the strength of his players.
“I think I feel pretty good. We are capable of shooting what Southern Cal shot today,” said Potter, noting that the Crimson Tide came from behind to win three events earlier in the season. “But now we have to be more aggressive. We have to let it go and free things up.”
Dan Brooks, who coached his Duke squad to three consecutive titles from 2005-07, wasn’t intimidated by USC’s record-setting day. Led by freshman Celine Boutier’s two-under 142, the Blue Devils are in third place, 15 shots back at one under.
“We’ve gone low before—in fact we’ve gone low his spring,” he said. “I was very happy with my team because we got into some trouble early. But there was no panic. We played our final holes really well.”
Anything can happen with 36 holes still to play. Last year at this time, USC trailed Alabama by 14 shots only to cut the lead to two after 54 holes before a back-and-forth final round ended with a one-shot Alabama victory. Drama looms with two days remaining.
****
* The previous course record at the University of Georgia GC was a 10-under 278, set by Alabama at the 2012 Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic. The previous NCAA Women’s Championship tournament record was an 11-under 277 set by Arizona State in 1998 at the University Ridge GC in Madison, Wisc.
* Oregon senior Hanule Sky Seo made a hole-in-one with a six-iron on the par-3 167-yard eighth hole, the first of her career. “I pulled it a little; the ball hit the hill but rolled toward the hole. It slowed down before going in,” said Seo, a transfer from Penn State. She shot even-par 72 Wednesday, and was given the flag from the eighth green after it had been signed by her playing partners.
* When players from the same school finish their rounds, the player who finished most recently often will carry the bag of the next player to finish away from the 18th green after the group’s last putt has been holed. It’s a sign of team camaraderie that you don’t see anywhere else in golf, and it let’s each player focus on properly signing her scorecard.
* Second-round play was suspended due to inclement weather at 4:58 p.m. EDT and resumed at 7 p.m. EDT. Four groups from the afternoon wave, however, did not get to finish their rounds as play was stopped again at 8 p.m. due to more lightning.
Read More http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-tours-news/blogs/college-golf/2013/05/usc-women-hold-halfway-lead-at.html#ixzz2U639pEmS
Labels: US COLLEGES
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