July 10, 2009
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Future Wildcat Betsie Johnson won first place at the Marion Miley Invitational, recording a 140 (71, 69) on Friday at the Lexington Country Club, while Kentucky sophomore Ashlee Rose took home second place with a 148 (72, 76).
Johnson entered the second round of the 36-hole event in first place with a 1-under-par 71, with Rose close behind at even par. Once the second day of competition began, Johnson quickly pulled away, posting birdies on the first and second holes, while Rose carded a double bogey on number No. 2.
Both golfers hovered around par golf on the back nine. Johnson separated herself from the rest of the field with birdies on No. 15 and No. 18. Rose played near flawless golf all day and was in the hunt on the back nine until a pair of bogeys on No. 12 and No. 18. Johnson finished with a 3-under-par 69, while Rose carded a 4-over-par 76.
“I’m very proud of the girls, how they played and how their games are progressing,” head coach Myra Blackwelder said. “Betsie has worked extremely hard over the last two years, and recently her swing has come together nicely, allowing her to focus less on mechanics. She is blossoming. Ashlee is coming off of an intense season of golf. I told her she needed to take a break, and this tournament helped get her game out of the moth balls.”
Playing in the Championship Flight with Johnson and Rose were Kentucky sophomores Laura McGehee and Megan Moir. McGehee finished with a 154 (74, 80) and Moir recorded a 168 (80, 88).
“Laura had a really good tournament and posted a good round yesterday,” Blackwelder said. “Megan continues to make strides as she is working hard on her game.”
Lott Takes Title at LWGA Girls Junior State Championship
ALEXANDRIA, La. — Incoming freshman Heather Lott carded a 150 (74, 76) to take first place at the Louisiana Women’s Golf Association Girls Junior State Championship on Thursday at Oak Wing Golf Club in Alexandria, La.
“Heather is having a very solid summer of golf leading up to her freshman year at UK,” head coach Myra Blackwelder said. “She is working on several aspects of her game, which is resulting in some very good scores.”
Lott, the tournament’s 2008 champion, entered the final round with a 74 and a one-stroke lead over Elise Bradley. During the second day, Bradley compiled a three-stroke lead over Lott through 15 holes. Lott quickly evened the score with a par on 16 when Bradley hit her tee shot into a fairway bunker, which took her three strokes to get out of. Both golfers posted pars on the remaining two holes to send the round into a playoff.
The two-hole playoff ended on Oak Wing’s second hole when Bradley needed two strokes to leave a sand trap. Lott clinched the hole and tournament with a three-foot birdie putt.
At the 2008 Junior State Championship, Lott shot a 71 and again took the championship from Bradley, who finished with a 77.
Lott, a native of Baton Rouge, La., joins the Wildcats from St. Joseph’s Academy. She brings a number of top finishes to the team, which includes 2008 victories at the PGA Junior Series at Kearney Hill Links, Louisiana State Junior Tournament, TJGT Red River Challenge Invitational, Kelly Love Showcase and Tournament of Champions in Gulf Shores, Ala.
Albrecht Improves in Second Round at U.S. Women’s Open; Misses Cut
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Incoming freshman Ashleigh Albrecht finished play Friday at the 64th U.S. Women’s Open Championship after shooting a 14-over-par 85 in the second round at Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pa.
Albrecht improved on her opening round score of 88, posting six pars and a birdie on the par four No. 5. For the tournament, she averaged 1.86 putts per hole. Albrecht secured a tournament berth June 11 in the U.S. Women’s Open Sectional Qualifying rounds at Carolina Trace Country Club in Sanford, N.C, shooting a two-round 2-over-par 146 (76, 80).
The last Wildcat to compete in an LPGA event was recent graduate Mallory Blackwelder, who competed in the Kraft Nabisco Championship and Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic in 2008.
A recent graduate of Murrieta Valley High School, Albrecht brings the vast experience of a multiple-sport athlete with a successful junior golfing career to the 2009-10 Wildcat season. In January, Albrecht won the PGA West Mid-Season Championship at Laquinta, Calif., and as a result was invited to represent Team USA in the Euro Cup Team Matches in Scotland and the Mizuno Cup in Canada.
