Furman’s Wearn second, team 10^th at Mercedes-Benz Intercollegiate

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Senior Laura Wearn fired a 2-under 70 to grab a share of second place and help the Furman women’s golf team into 10th place after the opening round of the Mercedes-Benz Intercollegiate on Friday at the par-72 Holston Hills Country Club.

After shooting an even-par 36 on the front nine, the Charlotte, N.C., native birdied three holes on the back nine en route to a 2-under 34 over her final nine holes.  Freshman Stephanie Carlozzi (+2) birdied five holes, including three on the front nine, to earn a share of 22nd place thru 18 holes.

Northwestern’s Hana Lee took the individual lead with a first-round 69 while Wearn, Texas A&M’s Sarah Beth Davis and Tennessee’s Erica Popson are tied for second, just one stroke off the lead.

Penn State (+3) and Texas A&M (+3) are tied for the first-round lead with both firing 3-over 291s on Friday.  Host Tennessee and UTSA are one stroke back at 4-over par.  Furman (+12) is nine strokes behind the leaders after 18 holes and holds 10th place in the 16-team field that includes five of the top 30 teams in the country.

Second-round action in the Mercedes-Benz Intercollegiate is set for Saturday with final-round action in the 54-hole tournament slated for Sunday morning.

Chattanooga 13^th at Mercedes-Benz Collegiate

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Chattanooga Mocs women’s golf team is in 13^th place after 18 holes at the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate. Chattanooga shot 311 on the first of three days at Holston Hills Country Club.

Junior Jordan Britt paced the Mocs’ effort with a 76. She battled through a tough day where the putts just didn’t fall. She got her first birdie on the par-4 sixth, her 15th hole of the day, to get back to 4-over, where she finished.

Fellow junior Marion Duvernay opened her round with birdies on 10 and 11. She carded four birdies on the day en route to a 77 (+5). Freshman Emily McLennan was one behind her at 78 (+6).

Freshman Isabella Loza and sophomore Porsche Campbell each shot 80 (+8) to round out the team scoring. Sophomore Mette Kryger had an 81 (+9) playing as an individual.

Penn State and No. 23 Texas A&M are the early leaders at 291 (+3). Tennessee and UTSA are tied for third a stroke back at 292. Northwestern’s Hana Lee shot 69 (-3) to take the individual lead. Sara Beth Davis (Texas A&M), Erica Popson (Tennessee) and Laura Wearn (Furman) are tied for second at 70 (-2).

The second round Saturday starts at 9:50 a.m. for the Mocs. Campbell leads off No. 10 with UTC paired with James Madison and Memphis. Loza (10:00), McLennan (10:10), Duvernay (10:20) and Britt (10:30) follow. Kryger also starts on 10, just a little earlier in the second group of the round at 9:10 a.m.