Samford First at FedEx Memphis Intercollegiate

GERMANTOWN, Tenn. – The Samford University women’s golf team turned in a dominant performance Monday at the 2012 FedEx Memphis Intercollegiate by posting a 36-hole score of 606 (304-302) to take a 16-stroke lead over second-place Xavier at the Ridgeway Country Club.

With their brilliant day-one performance, the Bulldogs took a powerful first step toward defending their championship from a year ago. Samford, the 2011 FedEx Memphis Intercollegiate champion, finished Monday’s competition with three players in the top seven.

The Bulldogs’ Natalie Mitchell, a native of Germantown, carded a two-round score of 145 (71-74) and holds a two-stroke lead in the tournament over Central Arkansas’ Julia Roth (75-72=147) and Sarah Schober (76-71=147) of Redlands Community College. Mitchell, a junior, paced a Samford squad that finished with five players in the top 18 Monday.

Anna Heim, the Bulldogs’ talented senior from Lafayette, La., turned in a 36-hole score of 151 (76-75) and moved into sixth place in the individual standings. She was followed closely by teammate Emily Stallings, who posted a 153 (79-74), which was good enough for seventh place.

Rounding out Samford’s scoring Monday were junior Alex Jasper and sophomore Bailey Gray. Both Bulldogs scored identical two-round tallies of 158 to finish the evening tied for 18th place.

Samford will look to defend its championship title on Tuesday as the Bulldogs close out play at the par-71, 6,150-yard Ridgeway Country Club.

This season’s talent-laden tournament consists of 12 NCAA Division I teams, two NCAA Division II teams and one junior college. Including Samford and host school Memphis, the other 10 Division I teams include Central Arkansas, Marshall, Missouri State, Montana, Sam Houston State, Stephen F. Austin, UAB, UL-Monroe and Xavier.

Tuesday’s final round of competition will begin at 8 a.m. (CDT).