CHAPEL HILL, N.C..?The University of Kentucky women?s golf team concluded day two of the Lady Tar Heel Invitational behind all five golfers shooting rounds in the 70s, but stand in 16th place Saturday.
Kentucky?s five golfers all shot below 80 for just the second time this season, a major positive in the development of the team. Despite such a forward step, Kentucky finds themselves in 16th place after watching some of the nation?s elite teams string together impressive rounds. The striking rounds among the field were led by #2 Duke?s one-under team score. The Blue Devils emerged from a tie for ninth place after the opening day all the way into second after 36 holes, and just three strokes behind day two?s leader Tennessee heading into Sunday?s final round.
?Today was just a ho-hum day for us,? said Coach Myra Blackwelder. ?We all broke 80-which is a team goal for us, so that?s a positive. We three-putted on way too many holes, and will try to address that concern tomorrow.?
Another goal for the Wildcats is for no player to shoot higher than a bogey on any given hole. For the second round, Kentucky only carded two double-bogeys among five individuals. Kentucky fired eight birdies as a team, led by senior Elizabeth Dotson who holed three birdies. Blackwelder wants each of her players to hit three birdies in their final round tomorrow; another goal she feels will bring them closer to some of the top tier teams in the tournament.
The Wildcats are still very much alive in the hunt that includes 15 of the top-50 rated teams in the country, and are just nine strokes behind #8 Oklahoma State who pushed their way into a tie for 12th through 36 holes.
Leading the individual board is Duke?s Amanda Blumenhest who fired a four-under 68 on day two, which brings her to five-under for the tournament.
UK?s junior Mallory Blackwelder shot a four-over 76 to lead the Wildcats. Sophomore Erica Still climbed her way back into the thick of the field with a five-over 77 on day two. Freshmen Louise Ljungstedt and Paige Lausier and Dotson all carded six-over-pars (+6) for the day to round out the scoring for the Blue and White.
A shotgun start at 9:15 a.m. will bring the tournament to a close Sunday. Live results are available at www.golfstat.com and at www.ukathletics.com. Check www.ukathletics.com each day for results and news about the Lady Wildcats at the Tar Heel Invitational.
AGATE?
1.) #12 Tennessee (297-289?586 +10)
2) #2 Duke (302-287?589 +13)
3.) #11 Georgia (298-293?591 +15)
4.) #18 Wake Forest (295-298?593 +17); #34 North Carolina St. (301-292?593 +17)
6.) #7 Auburn (301-293?594 +18)
7.) #40 Texas A&M (302-294?596 +20); #16 Vanderbilt (297-299?596 +20)
9.) Tulsa (296-302?598 +22)
10.) Virginia (299-302?601 +25)
11.) #28 Florida State (306-296?602 +26)
12.) #8 Oklahoma State (314-293?607 +31); #29 South Carolina (311-296?607 +31)
14.) #26 North Carolina (306-303?609 +33)
15.) #14 Texas (306-307?613 +37); #20 East Carolina (311-302?613 +37)
16.) #33 Kentucky (307-309?616 +40)
17.) College of Charleston (312-315?627 +627)
Wildcat Scores
T32-Mallory Blackwelder (75-76–151 +7)
T49-Louise Ljungstedt (76-78–154 +10)
T60-Paige Lausier (77-78?155 +11)
T69-Erica Still (79-77–156 +12)
77-Elizabeth Dotson (80-78- 158 +14)
