Upstate Shoots School Record Round
9/15/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
Sept. 15, 2008
First Round Results in PDF Format 
Waynesville, N.C. - The USC Upstate women's golf team got off to a fast start to the 2008-09 season by firing a school record 301 with all five players shooting in the 70s as the Spartans stand in a tie for ninth in the 22-team Great Smokies Women's Collegiate Monday afternoon at the Waynesville Country Club.
Upstate's 301 bettered the old school record of 307 by six strokes. Upstate first shot a 307 on Sept. 11, 2006 at the Anderson University Invitational and equaled the mark last year at the Hatter Fall Classic on Nov. 5, 2007.
"I'm really excited about shooting 301," said Upstate head coach Todd Lawton. "The entire team went out there and just wanted to play. We got off to a rough start, but they decided they were going to play each shot one at a time and they all hit really solid shots. The most exciting thing about shooting this round is that all of the players know that they can shoot really good scores if they stay focused, and they did that today. They even wanted to do more. I look forward to seeing everyone encourage each other like they did today and really going out there and putting another good round together."
Former Woodruff High School standout Jessica Wofford paced the Spartans in the first round of the Great Smokies Collegiate. She fired a 1-over-par 73 on the 5,922-yard, par-72 track which features small, undulating greens in a mountain setting. She is currently tied for 19th individually.
"The round that Jessica put together was awesome," said Lawton. "She doubled her fourth hole to go to 2-over for the round and played her last 14 holes at 1-under. She hit great shots and was composed all day."
Richelle Wedzik turned in a solid 75 as is tied for 34th, while Richia Wedzik is tied for 44th after shooting a 76. Audrey Church was just one stroke back of Richia Wedzik and in a tie for 59th after shooting a 77, while Julie Miller turned in a 79 and stands tied for 74th. Tennessee Tech's Carley Rhyne and Austin Peay's Chelsea Harris are tied for the individual lead after shooting a 3-under-par 69.
Upstate's school record 301 moved the Spartans into position for a top-10 team finish in their first tournament of the season. Upstate is tied with A-Sun rival Belmont and Austin Peay. Western Carolina, the host of the tournament, leads the event after firing a 284. Samford is second after shooting a 291 and is followed in the top-10 by Tennessee Tech (292), Wofford (293), Elon (297), Winthrop (298), Jacksonville (299), Old Dominion (300), Upstate, Belmont and Austin Peay.
