Women's Golf Southern Conference

Western Carolina 10th at JU Classic

Western Carolina 10th at JU Classic

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Western Carolina carded a second-round score of 301 for a 36-hole total of 618 to stand 10th overall at the JU Classic being held at the par-72, 5,967-yard Marsh Landing Country Club. The Catamounts advanced two spots over the second 18 holes, trimming 16 strokes off their opening-round 317.

The third and final round is scheduled for Tuesday with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start. Paired with golfers from Stetson and USC Upstate, WCU’s scoring five opens play on the back nine between holes 11 and 14. Catamount individual Taylor Allison starts on the 15th while classmate Kim Mitchell opens on the 18th.

Western Carolina was led by sophomore Olivia Landino who recovered from an opening-round 81 to shoot even-par 72 over the second round. Her two-round score of 153 has her tied for 32nd overall. The Hermitage, Pa., product countered a double-bogey with two birdies in her second round of the day and, all told, charted four birdies over the opening 36 holes.

Sophomore Ashley Thompson likewise improved in the second round, knocking 10 strokes off her opening-round 82 to match Landino’s even-par 72 for a two-round score of 153, tied for 37th. The Clyde, N.C., product has three birdies over 36 holes. After playing the front nine at 6-over-par in round one, Thompson was 1-under-par on the front in the afternoon.

Juniors Mariah Hopkins and Kristin Swindell both carded rounds of 79 and 78 to sit tied for 51st overall, with sophomore Bethany Galloway shooting 79 and 82 for a score of 161, tied for 64th. Hopkins played the par-5 holes at even-par, tied with six others for the fifth-best average in the field.

Playing unattached as an individual, junior Taylor Allison is the highest-ranking Catamount after a two-round total of 148 (72-76) in a tie for 11th place overall. Allison is tied for seventh among the 78-golfer field with six birdies through the first two rounds. She also played the par-3 holes at 2-under (2.75).

Junior Kim Mitchell, also playing as an individual competitor, shot 78 and 82 for a total of 158, tied for 58th place.

Paced by overall tournament leader Marissa Hinchman, Coastal Carolina leads the 14-team field by nine strokes over second-place Daytona State College (593), as the Chanticleers carded an opening-day 584. North Florida sits in third at 595 with Charleston Southern and Boston University rounding out the top five teams in fifth with matching scores of 599.

Hinchman (140) carded matching rounds of 2-under-par 70 to lead Daytona State’s Tiffany Chan by a stroke.