UK Women’s Golf Makes its Move at the Landfall Tradition
WILMINGTON, N.C. – On moving day at the Landfall Tradition, the Kentucky women’s golf team made its climb.
With senior Grace Rose and junior Leonie Bettel leading the way in the second round, the Wildcats moved up five spots at the Country Club of Landfall in Wilmington, North Carolina. While Rose and Bettel propelled themselves up the individual leaderboard, they pushed the team into 12th place in the process and past four top-50 and two top-25 teams.
UK recorded a second-round score of 290 (2-over-par), the Wildcats’ best score in its last seven rounds and tied for the fifth-best showing in a field that features some of the nation’s best teams. As a matter of fact, Kentucky’s 290 was better than five teams ranked in the Golfstat top 25.
“It was clearly a better day for our team today after an unfortunate string of bad rounds,” UK head coach Golda Borst said. “We talked a lot about attitude, process, staying loose and managing all the small details of their games over the last few days, and today it came together for them.”
Saturday’s score put UK at 18-over par overall and in position to move even further up the leaderboard in Sunday’s final round. Just seven shots separate the Wildcats from eighth place.
To move up that would be a lofty achievement considering where Kentucky found itself after the opening round (in 17th place out of 18 teams) and against the quality of teams throughout the tournament field.
All told, the 16th annual Landfall Tradition field features 13 teams in Golfstat’s top 50, nine in the top 25 and five in the top 10. The Wildcats went toe to toe with them Saturday to bounce back from a recent rough patch and reaffirm belief that this UK team, stocked with both talent and experience, has the ability to break through this year.
“Our team is capable of a lot of great things; they all just need to manage their emotions as well as expectations for us to be successful,” Borst said. “That is a challenge, but we can do it and we can take a great deal of confidence from this round and keep moving forward.
“I am happy with today and proud of them for stepping up and putting a good round together. We have a lot left in the tank for the last round and we are all looking forward to tomorrow.”
Sunday’s final round will begin at 8:45 a.m. with a shotgun start. Live scoring will continue to be available at GolfStat.com.
No. 4 Duke continues to lead the field at 14-under par, one shot ahead of No. 2 Alabama. Duke’s Ana Belac and Virginia’s Beth Lillie are tied for the individual lead at 9-under par.
Those teams and individuals are too far in front for the Wildcats to catch, but there is plenty for Kentucky to play for Sunday.
Rose and Bettel will both have their eyes on top-20 finishes. At 2-over par overall, Rose is currently tied for 23rd, while Bettel is just a shot back at 3-over par and in a tie for 28th place.
Rose carded her team-high-tying third round of under par this season with a 71 Saturday. Playing at the Pete Dye Course at the Country Club of Landfall, where Rose recorded her career low of 67 in the final round of the Landfall Tradition in 2015, Rose started the second round on fire. She opened her day on the back nine and promptly recorded three birdies in her first seven holes.
The 2017 Bettie Lou Evans Invitational co-champion was 3-under par on the day through 12 holes before a bogey setback on No. 4, a par 5. She recorded a double bogey three holes later but answered with a birdie on her second-to-last hole of the day to get back to red numbers.
At 3-over par through 36 holes, Bettel is seeking a team-leading third top-20 finish heading into Sunday’s finale. She recorded her team-high-tying third round of even par or better with an even-par 72 in the third round.
Bettel got to 1-under par on three different occasions Saturday but was moved back by three bogeys.
Senior Isabelle Johansson was on target for her first under-par round of the season before some late adversity struck. After going out in 1-over par, Johansson got to 2-under with three birdies over a five-hole stretch on her second nine but went 4-over par over her final three holes. The Sala, Sweden, native is at 6-over par overall, in a tie for 47th, after a 74 in the second round.
Sophomore Sarah Shipley tied her lowest round of the season with a 1-over-par 73 Saturday. Returning to the form that earned her a spot in every tournament as a freshman, Shipley tied Rose with a team-high four birdies in the second round. She’s tied for 55th at 7-over par.
Junior Claire Carlin is tied for 93rd at 17-over par. She was much improved from the opening round with a 78 Saturday.
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.
