Hack, Rose Solid on Day Two of Darius Rucker Intercollegiate
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HILTON HEAD, S.C. – The Darius Rucker Intercollegiate is living up to its billing as one of the most challenging stops on the national spring schedule. The Long Cove Club was once again a difficult challenge on Saturday as 16 of the 17 teams in the field, including the Kentucky women’s golf team, shot above par.
After posting a 300 in the second round of the tournament, a seven-stroke improvement from Friday’s opening round, the Wildcats remain in 17th place with one round left to play in Hilton Head, S.C.
No. 4 Alabama continues to lead the field at 8-over par. Virginia’s Lauren Coughlin and Vanderbilt’s Alexandra Farnsworth are tied for the individual lead at 3-under par.
Kentucky concludes the 54-hole tournament on Sunday at 8 a.m. for the third and final round.
Freshman Anna Hack fired a team-high-tying three birdies Saturday and was just one stroke shy of tying her career 18-hole low with a 74. Hack started strong on the back nine with two birdies in the opening six holes. Her birdie on the par-5, 15th hole was followed by four straight bogeys, but she steadied the ship with pars on holes two through six.
A double bogey followed by a birdie secured Hack’s 3-over-par finish. At 9-over par for the tournament, she’s in a tie for 53rd place, which would tie her best career finish if the tournament ended today.
Posting another 74 second-round finish for the Cats was sophomore Grace Rose. After a tournament-opening bounced 78, the sophomore from Nicholasville, Ky., shaved four strokes Saturday off her first-round performance.
Playing perhaps the most consistent round of the day for the Wildcats, Rose started with pars on the first three holes before a birdie on a par-3, 13th hole. She carded another birdie in her back nine, but two double bogeys kept her from shooting below par. At 10-over par for the tournament, she’s tied for 63rd.
After a 4-over first nine holes, senior Cylia Damerau turned it on in her back nine with three birdies. She’s in a tie for 68th with a total score of 11-over par.
Sophomore Isabelle Johansson, UK’s leader in stroke average this season, is tied with Hack in 53rd for the best ranking among the Wildcats through 36 holes after a 6-over 77 Saturday.
Junior Jordan Chael also recorded a 77 for the Cats, improving two strokes off her opening-round on Friday. She’s at 14-over par through 36 holes and finished the day tied for 80th.
Located on the banks of one of South Carolina’s most beautiful islands, Long Cove was designed by Pete Dye, one of the century’s greatest golf course architects. The course has consistently been rated among the top golf courses in the country. Most recently, in 2014, it was ranked No. 15 in the Top 100 Residential Golf Courses in the U.S. by Golfweek Magazine. This week its playing as a par 71 at 6,208 yards.
Traditionally one of the spring stops for some of the nation’s best teams, this week’s tournament features seven of GolfStat’s top 25 teams, including No. 1 Southern California, No. 2 Duke, No. 3 Arkansas, No. 4 Alabama and No. 5 Georgia.
Fans can continue to follow along with live scoring of the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate Tournament at golfstat.com.
As always, fans can follow the team on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, as well as on the web at UKathletics.com, for the latest Kentucky women’s golf information.
Darius Rucker Intercollegiate
Long Cove Club – Pete Dye Course
Hilton Head, S.C.
March 4-6
Par: 71
Yardage: 6,208
