Harford, Furman take lead at Palmetto Intercollegiate
KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. – Furman freshman Haylee Harford (-5) fired a 68 on Monday to take the individual lead and propel the Paladins into first place following two rounds of play at the Palmetto Intercollegiate at the par-72, 5,972-yard Turtle Point Golf Course in Kiawah Island, S.C.
The Paladins started Monday's round on the back nine, and Harford played flawless golf, parring her first 14 holes before birdieing four out of her last five holes to take the lead. The Paladins (+1) posted a tournament-best 289 in the second round, taking a five-stroke lead over Campbell (+6). Illinois (+14) and Chattanooga (+14) are tied for third, while Kennesaw State (+16) completes the top five.
Paladin senior Valentina Romero (+2) enters Tuesday's final round tied for ninth after carding a 76 on Monday, while junior Taylor Totland (+5) shot a 73 with two second-round birdies to tie for 27th. Sophomore Jacqueline Bendrick (+8) eagled the par-5 No. 13 to card an even 72 on Monday, tying for 44th, and sophomore Alice Chen (+11) notched two birdies to tie for 65th.
The 54-hole tournament will conclude on Tuesday with an 8:45 a.m. shotgun start.
Chattanooga moves up to third at Palmetto Intercollegiate
KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. – The Chattanooga Mocs women’s golf team’s 295 (+7) Monday was the second-best round of the day at the Palmetto Intercollegiate. It propelled the Mocs from ninth into a tie for third with Illinois heading into Tuesday’s final 18.
It was another balanced effort. Senior Emily McLennan and sophomores Cris Perez and Megan Woods each recorded 1-over-par 73s. Freshman Monica San Juan added a 76 (+4), while Isabella Loza had the drop score with a 77.
The group’s 295 was more than 10.5 strokes better than the 20-team field average, more than 11 better than the other 19 teams managed (306.11) at Turtle Point.
Woods is tied for ninth at +2. She is one ahead of Perez and McLennan, who are tied for 13th at +3. Furman’s Haylee Harford leads at -4. Campbell’s Nadine White, the first-round leader, is second at -2.
The Paladins are the team leader at 577 (+1). Campbell is second at +6 followed by the Mocs and Fighting Illini at +14. Kennesaw State is fifth at +16 with No. 23 Louisville in sixth at +21.
The final 18 is shotgun start at 8:45 a.m. The Mocs quintet spans holes 3-6 playing with KSU and the Cardinals.
ETSU 12th at Palmetto Intercollegiate
KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. – The ETSU women’s golf team made one of the biggest improvements in day two of the Palmetto Intercollegiate on Monday. The team moved up three spots after day one to 12th place overall.
Vivienne Chin and Linda Dobele each shot 3-over-par in the second round. Chin started her day quickly after she birdied three of the first four holes, and she finished the front nine with 1-under.
Dobele birdied two holes in the round and pared 11 of the 18 holes. She matched her first-round score by shooting a 75. Both Dominika Czudkova and Rachel Pollock improved the most on the team as Czudkova improved by four strokes and Pollock lowered her score by nine.
Hee Ying Loy still sits in the upper half of the individual rankings as she is tied for 13th in the tournament individually. Loy shot a +5 in the second round and has moved to +3 at the Palmetto Intercollegiate. Loy is tied with the 100th-ranked individual player in the nation, Katie Mitchell of Louisville University, and is within four strokes of the 35th-ranked individual player in the nation, Yupaporm Kawinpakorn.
After Monday’s team score of 305, the Bucs are just five strokes away from breaking into the top 10 after Xavier dropped six spots in the second round. Furman University moved to first after shooting an impressive 289 in the second round.
The Bucs will start the final round at Kiawah Island at 8:45 a.m. Tuesday. ETSU will start on holes 9A, 9B, 10A, 10B and 11A.