Sept. 26, 2003

FRANKLIN, Tenn. – The Kentucky women’s golf team sits in 15th place after the first round of the Mason Rudolph Championship in Franklin, Tenn. The Cats finished the day with a team score of 313 in the 17-team tournament.

Leading the way for the Cats for the second consecutive tournament is sophomore Erin Faulkner, who also finished on top of the leaderboard for Kentucky in the season-opening Cougar Fall Classic last week. Newcomer Emily Culbertson joins Faulkner in a tie for 49th place after both opened with a round of 77. Fellow freshman Marrisa Muir is one shot back from her teammates after posting a 78, and Katie Dixon and Eva Gessner rounded out the Cats’ scores in the afternoon with an 81 and 84, respectively.

Hannah Jun from UCLA currently leads the pack with a five-under par 67. The Bruins also have a six-shot advantage as a team in the tournament, with SEC opponents Florida, Georgia and host Vanderbilt also posting top-five finishes.

The Cats return to tournament action tomorrow with round two, which gets underway at 8:30 a.m. EST.

Team Scores:
1.UCLA281
2.Florida287
3.Georgia288
4.Furman290
Vanderbilt290
15.Kentucky313

Individual:
1.Hannah Jun,UCLA 67
2. Erica Blasberg, Arizona70
Meaghan Francella, UNC70
Allison Martin, UGA70
Chris Brady, Vanderbilt70

UK Finishers:
t-49Erin Faulkner 77
t-49Emily Culbertson 77
t-64Marissa Muir78
t-77Katie Dixon 81
t-86Eva Gessner 84