University of South Carolina Upstate Athletics
Marsh Landing Invitational
Hall Leads Upstate at Marsh Landing Invitational
4/2/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. – Amanda Hall opened the Marsh Landing Invitational with a 77 in the first round and is tied for 38th with a 36-hole total of 161 to lead the USC Upstate women's golf team on the first day of the tournament hosted by A-Sun rival Jacksonville.
Behind the 77 of Hall (Tega Cay, S.C.) and 78 of Brittany Lowe (Spartanburg, S.C.), Upstate opened the tournament with a 319 in the first round. The round was the lowest the Spartans have shot in the last three tournaments. Upstate, though, struggled in the second round and posted a 332 to fall out of a tie for eighth and into 10th in the tournament.
Stetson is leading the tournament after rounds of 290 and 292. The Hatters own the lead with a 582 total. Cincinnati is second at 603 and is followed by Jacksonville (607), Cal Poly (608), Florida Atlantic (614), Brown (628), Florida Gulf Coast (628), Daytona State College (630), Northern Illinois (635) and Upstate (651).
"I thought we played with heart and intensity in the first round this morning," said Upstate head coach Todd Lawton. "There were a lot of good things that happened during the round, including Amanda recovering from a really bad hole to make four birdies and shoot 77. Brittany started well, played her game and scored well. It wouldn't have been a stretch for her to have shot several strokes lower.
"This afternoon was a great opportunity that was missed. The course was in great condition and ready for low scores. In golf, you must be in control both physically and mentally. We turned up and down pars into bogeys and missed our birdie chances. It all adds up to higher scores. I expect better execution and focus tomorrow in the final round."
Hall topped the Spartans on the day. She is tied for 38th heading into Tuesday's final round. Lowe is the second-lowest Spartan in the tournament. She is 41st with a 162 total. Taylor Pleier (Spartanburg, S.C.) is 45th with a 165 total. Kristi Goodman (Easley, S.C.) is 49th with a 168 total, while Marissa Clontz (Greenville, S.C.) is 51st at 171. Clontz, though, made a serious move in the afternoon, cutting nine strokes off of her morning score to post the team's best round in the afternoon, an 81.
Stetson's Alex Buelow is the tournament leader after 36 holes. She shot rounds of 71 and 69 to open a five-stroke lead over Cincinnati's Andrea Malek.
