Editor’s Note: The following is an official press release courtesy of LSU’s athletics department.
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – The No. 3 ranked LSU women’s golf team didn’t let rain, wind and cooler temperature both them as they moved to the lead after the second round of the Southeastern Conference Women’s Golf Championships here Thursday at the Greystone Golf and Country Club.
LSU started in steady rain through much of the first four holes and once the rain stopped, the winds increased even more swirling in between the tall pines before finishing in a brief downpour on 18. But through it all the Tigers were one of the few teams that didn’t let the weather conditions bother them.
The Tigers posted a round of 6-over par 294 to move from a tie for third to first after two rounds in the qualifying portion of the tournament that will lead to eight teams going to match play for the championship starting on Saturday.
After two rounds, LSU is at 10-over 586 (292-294) to lead No. 7 Auburn by three shots. Auburn was the only other team in single digits over par on the round at 7-over 295 and stands in second at 13-over 589.
I’m the proudest because I thought we were prepared,” said LSU Coach Garrett Runion. “I think they showed mental toughness, something we talk about all the time. They fought the entire day because it was cold, wet, windy, wind was swirling, greens were firm and they did their job.”
How tough were the conditions? The scoring average Thursday was 77.60, up over three shots for the 70 players from Wednesday. There were no birdies on the par 3 eighth hole where the flag was in the back on the top ridge with a strong wind in the players face. There was just one birdie on the par 3 17th and two on the par 3 13th.
Sophomore Aine Donegan had the best round of the day for LSU, as she dropped a birdie putt from the edge of the fringe on the par 5 18th hole to finish the day at 1-under par 71. She opened with 12 straight pars and then after going birdie-bogey on 13 and 14, posted three pars before the final birdie. She is T3 in the individual standings at 1-under 143.
Donegan’s 71 was one of just under par rounds on the day.
Senior Latanna Stone who was in a tie for second after the first round, moved to solo second after a birdie on the final hole gave her a 1-over 73, putting her at 2-under for the tournament at 142 (69-73). Stone had four birdies on the round to give her 10 total for the first two days. Megan Schofill of Auburn is the tournament leader at 5-under par 139 (70-69).
Ingrid Lindblad, posted two birdies on her round to come in at even par 72 and she is T6 in the championships at 1-over par 145 (73-72).
“I would say that was one of our better rounds of the year,” said Runion. “If you are back home and you saw Aine (Donegan)’s two-birdie, one bogey 71 and Ingrid’s two birdie, two bogey 72 you kind of say ho-hum or whatever, but if you were here this morning or all day in these conditions with the rain and the wind you would know that was a hell of a round. It was a great round by the whole team. We focused on holes 12 through 15, we kind of call it the loop, that we needed to play really well. We didn’t play it well yesterday and we were much improved today. I think those are some key holes that helped us have the round we did today.”
LSU’s fourth counting round on the day came from junior Carla Tejedo, who came in at 6-over 78.
The battle for the eight match play teams is still tight entering Friday’s final round of qualifying with third through eighth separated by four shots. The cut line is at +23 after two rounds held by Florida.
LSU is still the tournament leader on the par 3 holes at 3-over par, four shots better than South Carolina. LSU is second in total birdies at 28, one behind Ole Miss’ 29. Stone and Donegan are both 3-under on the par 3 holes in the tournament. Lindblad is the team best on the par 4 holes at -1 and Stone stands at 2-under on the four par 5s.
It will be LSU, Auburn and South Carolina in the opening threesome on Friday at 8 a.m. with teams 4-6 and 7-9 opening play on the first hole. At the end of the round, the individual SEC champion will be crowned and the eight teams selected for the quarterfinal matches on Saturday morning.
Live scoring for the final round can be found on Golfstat.com and updates during the round on Twitter @LSUwomensgolf.
SEC WOMEN’S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
Greystone Golf and Country Club – Birmingham, Alabama
Second Round Team Results – Par 288-576
1 LSU 292-294 – 586 +10
2 Auburn 294-295 –589 +13
3 South Carolina 293-302 – 595 +19
T4 Vanderbilt 288-308 – 596 +20
T4 Texas A&M 295-301 – 596 +20
6 Mississippi State 292-305 –597 +21
7 Georgia 294-304 – 598 +22
8 Florida 290-309 – 599 +23
9 Kentucky 294-307 – 601 +25
10 Alabama 293-309 – 602 +26
11 Ole Miss 295-309 – 604 +28
12 Tennessee 295-311 – 606 +30
13 Arkansas 306-312 – 618 +42
14 Missouri 296-327 – 623 +47
Individual Top 5 (Par 72-144)
1 Megan Schofill, Auburn 70-69 – 139 -5
2 Latanna Stone, LSU 69-73 – 142 -2
T3 Aine Donegan, LSU 72-71 – 143 -1
T3 Marina Escobar Domingo, 72-71 – 143 -1
T5 Laney Frye, Kentucky 70-74 – 144 E
T5 Julia Lopez Ramirez, Mississippi State, 69-75 – 144 E
LSU Scores
2 Latanna Stone 69-73 – 142 -2
T3 Aine Donegan 72-71 –143 -1
T7 Ingrid Lindblad 73-72 – 145 +1
T54 Carla Tejedo 78-78 – 156 +12
68 Edit Hertzman 82-79 – 161 +17