Spartans Rebound In Second Round At Larry Nelson Collegiate
3/30/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
March 30, 2009
Braselton, Ga. - The USC Upstate women's golf team shaved 21 strokes off its first round score to the second and moved up three spots to fifth place entering Tuesday's final round of the Larry Nelson Collegiate Invitational Monday on the Woodlands Course at the Chateau Elan Resort.
Upstate opened the tournament with a 330 to stand eighth out of nine teams. However, the Spartans regrouped quickly and turned in a 309 in the second round to finish the day with a 639 total. Upstate is one shot better than Kennesaw State in sixth and just six strokes out of third.
"I knew the turnaround was going to happen," said Upstate assistant coach Sandy Halkett. "We are kind of the comeback kids. It just takes us a little time to get warmed up. It was cold this morning, but as soon as they got warmed up they played well."
Julie Miller led the charge in round two. After opening with an 82 to tie fellow Spartan senior Richelle Wedzik for the team lead after round one, the Jeanette, Pa., native fired an even-par 72 in the second round. She is tied for fourth individually, eight strokes off the lead with a 154 total.
"Julie shaved 10 shots off her first round score and played really well," said Halkett. "She concentrated more on her putting and her overall ball-striking was much more consistent. We have to come out of the gate faster to shoot low numbers tomorrow to move up. We will get up early and get on the range so we can get warmed up for the round."
Miller's 72 was one of three scores in the 70s turned in by Upstate golfers. Wedzik shot a 78 and Jennifer Judge lowered her score by four shots from the first round to the second to card a 79. Wedzik stands tied for 16th with a 160 total, while Judge is 22nd with a 162 total.
Upstate placed four players in the top-25 as Jessica Wofford totaled a 163 and is tied for 23rd. Richia Wedzik stands tied for 39th with a 172 total. Johanna Ebenhag, playing in her first tournament this year and playing as an individual this week, shot a 177 total and is 45th in the standings.
Gardner-Webb took the 36-hole lead in the tournament by turning in scores of 317 and 304 for a 621 total. Samford is second, two strokes back at 623 and is followed by Belmont Abbey (633), Tennessee Tech (637), Upstate (639), Kennesaw State (640), Mercer (649), Xavier (654) and South Dakota State (666).
Belmont Abbey's Carley Warrington leads the hunt for the individual title after turning in rounds of 75 and 71 for a 2-over-par, 146 total. She leads the tournament by three strokes. The teams will play the final round of the 54-hole tournament Tuesday morning starting at 8:00.
