Spartans 4th At Hatter Fall Classic
11/3/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
Nov. 3, 2008
DeLand, Fla. - The USC Upstate women's golf team knocked off the rust from not playing a competitive round in nearly a month and turned in its third-lowest round of the year in the second round of the Holiday Inn Express Hatter Fall Classic Monday. The Spartans are fourth out of nine teams.
Upstate opened the tournament with a 323 in the first round, but went to work in the second round and posted a 308 to vault from sixth to fourth in the tournament with a 621 total. Stetson, which hosts the tournament, also rallied for a strong second round to take the tournament lead. The Hatters opened with a 307 in the first round and answered with a 17-stroke difference to shoot 290 in the second. Stetson stands at 597 atop the standings.
Stetson owns an 18-stroke lead over second-place Daytona State College (615). Bethune-Cookman is third with a 629 total, two strokes ahead of Upstate (631). Upstate enters the final round with a one-shot advantage over Florida Atlantic (632) in fifth. Mercer is sixth at 639 and is followed by Jacksonville (646), Stetson "B" (656) and South Carolina State (691).
"One thing that some of the girls commented on was that they had more energy in the second round," said Upstate assistant women's coach Sandy Halkett. "They got a surge that got them fired up and enabled them to press forward. They had a better concentration and had a goal to beat the score they posted in the first round."
"After a very long day of 36-hole golf, posting a 308 was very impressive and exciting," said Upstate head coach Todd Lawton. "There is a huge difference in 323 and 308 as to where those scores will put you. The 308 is more in line with what we are capable of shooting and that kind of score will put us in a position for better finishes."
Three Spartans are in prime position to secure Top 20 individual finishes. Richia Wedzik leads the way after finishing 36 holes in a tie for seventh place. She opened the tournament with a 79 and shaved five strokes off her score for the second round, carding a 74 in the afternoon. She owns a 153 total and is four strokes out of the tournament lead held by Stetson's Danielle Jackson and Daytona State's Melissa Magdor at 149.
"Richia was steady," said Halkett. "There was nothing that got her upset. If she hit a bad shot, she just let it roll off her back. She was determined to put the shots behind her and get up and down for par."
Julie Miller and Richelle Wedzik are tied for 14th entering Tuesday's final round. Miller opened the tournament with an 82, then answered with a 75 to lower her score by seven shots. Richelle Wedzik opened with an 81 and lowered her score by five strokes for a 76 in the second round. The two players totaled 157 after 36 holes.
Jessica Wofford is tied for 31st with a 164 total. Summer Wall, playing in her first tournament as a Spartan, is 42nd with a 177 effort.
