Rose, Bettel in Top 50 after Round One at Landfall Tradition
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Playing in arguably the best tournament of the collegiate fall schedule, the Kentucky women’s golf team shot a tournament-opening 304 (16-over par) at the 16th annual Landfall Tradition on Friday with two Wildcats, senior Grace Rose and junior Leonie Bettel, in the top 50 and in position to move up over the weekend.
The Wildcats are in 17th place after the first of three rounds at the Country Club of Landfall in Wilmington, North Carolina. The tournament will resume Saturday with the second round beginning as early as 8:30 a.m. Kentucky will be among the first to tee off.
No. 4 Duke leads a stacked field that features 13 teams ranked in Golfstat’s top 50 at 11-under par, one shot ahead of No. 2 Alabama. The Blue Devils’ 277 was a Landfall Tradition Friday record. Duke’s Ana Belac was largely responsible for the big day and leads the 96-player field at 6-under par.
Live scoring will continue to be available throughout the weekend at GolfStat.com.
Kentucky is well back of Duke and Alabama, but the Wildcats are still in position to move up in one of golf’s most talented fields. Just 10 shots separate UK from sixth place and a chance to jump a number of highly ranked teams.
Of the 18-team field, nine squads are ranked among the nation’s top 25 teams. Half of Golfstat’s top 10 teams are in Wilmington this weekend.
Just ahead of the Wildcats are teams like No. 19 Notre Dame, No. 28 NC State, No. 32 Clemson and No. 38 Penn State, presenting Kentucky with plenty to play for this weekend and plenty of golf left.
If the Wildcats are to make a move, veterans Rose and Bettel will likely lead the charge after opening-day 75s. Both Rose and Bettel are tied for 47th place, but just three shots separate Kentucky’s most consistent players of the fall from the top 20.
Rose, not even a month removed from her co-championship at the Bettie Lou Evans Invitational, recorded three birdies in the first round but carded an uncharacteristic five scores of bogey or worse. Bettel, who leads UK this fall with two top-20 showings, was a little more consistent with a birdie, 13 pars and four bogeys. Both players have experienced success in the tournament as Rose posted a career-low 67 in the final round of the 2015 Landfall Tradition while Bettel notched a top-25 finish as a freshman at NC State.
Just a shot behind Rose and Bettel is senior Isabelle Johansson at 4-over par (76). She’s tied for 58th after two birdies on Friday.
Sophomore Sarah Shipley completed the team scoring for UK on Friday with a 6-over-par 78. She’s tied for 80th. Junior Claire Carlin is in 95th place at 11-over par (93).
The Landfall Tradition is taking place at the Pete Dye Course at the Country Club of Landfall. Playing as a par 72 and 6,166 yards, the Pete Dye Course consists of rolling hills and undulating fairways, framing picturesque shots into challenging greens guarded by white sand bunkers and fresh water ponds. It played host to the 2010 NCAA Championships.
Kentucky’s attendance this weekend marks just the second time it has competed in Wilmington.
For the latest on the Kentucky women’s golf team, follow the team on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, as well as on the web at UKathletics.com.
