Elon's Vidisdottir tied for individual lead at HPU Classic, team second

HIGH POINT, N.C. – Elon freshman Sunna Vidisdottir fired a 75 Monday during the first round of the High Point University Classic being contested at the Willow Creek Golf Course to share the individual lead at the conclusion of the first day of play.  Her play helped the Phoenix to a second-place team standing with a 311 with a round to play.

Vidisdottir had two birdies and 11 pars over her first 18 holes and shares the individual lead with Morehead State's Anna Appert Lund.  The pair has a one-stroke edge on both Winthrop's Jennifer Dilger and High Point's Casey Ward.

Also in the top five is Elon’s Kathryn Buckingham.  Buckingham is tied for fifth after posting a first-round mark of 77.  She also had two birdies and 11 pars.

In a tie for 10th is Emily Brooks with a 78.  Brooks posted 11 pars and one birdie on the day.  She is followed by Martyna Mierzwa and Katie Partridge, who are tied for 20th in the field of 45 golfers with a score of 81.  Mierzwa had one birdie and nine pars, while Partridge had 11 pars.

Playing as an individual, Elon's Diana Davis shot an 86 and is tied for 35th with a round to play.

The seven-team field is being paced by Morehead State's 308.  Elon is three strokes back and sits four shots ahead of host High Point (315). 

Rounding out the field are Gardner-Webb (319), Appalachian State (322), Winthrop (326) and Western Carolina (333).

Round two is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. on Tuesday.

 

Appalachian State fifth at HPU Classic

HIGH POINT, N.C. – Seniors Lauren Smith and Mimi Burke fired matching 78s (+6) to lead Appalachian State in the opening round of the HPU Classic on Monday afternoon at Willow Creek Golf Course.

With the matching 78s, the Mountaineers head into the second round in fifth place of the seven-team field, 14 shots behind tournament leader Morehead State.

Smith and Burke are currently tied for 10th place, while freshman Yuxuan Li followed the seniors with an 82 (+10) and senior Rumbidzai Masamvu carded an 84 (+12). Rounding out the Mountaineer scoring was newcomer Haley Zagoria with an 87 (+15).

The tournament resumes with a shotgun start at 10 a.m., which is subject to change due to the impending weather in the Piedmont Triad.

 

Western Carolina seventh at High Point University Classic

HIGH POINT, N.C. – Battling a damp golf course on Monday, Western Carolina struggled through the opening round of its spring season, shooting 333 to stand seventh of seven teams at the High Point University Classic being held at the par-72, 6,006-yard Willow Creek Golf Course at the High Point Country Club.

The final round is scheduled for a 10 a.m. tee time on Tuesday, but weather forecasts are unfavorable on an already soggy course.

WCU sophomore Maria Kjelldorff stands tied for 18th overall after shooting 80 on Monday. The Saltsjobaden, Sweden, native finished the first round tied for second with 13 pars. Freshman Mariah Hopkins is one stroke back in a tie for 20th with a first-round 81, leading the 45-golfer field with four birdies. Hopkins additionally was tied for the par-4 scoring lead by shooting even par.

Rounding out WCU’s scoring five are senior Michelle Bello in 34th (85), freshman Taylor Allison in a tie for 38th (87) and freshman Fatima Gonzalez-Carriles in 43rd (92). Both Bello and Allison carded nine pars on Monday.