Feb. 4, 2018
ORLANDO, Fla. – The Vanderbilt women’s golf team has plenty of work to do if they plan to contend for the title at the UCF Challenge.
The Commodores struggled in the opening round of the tournament, posting a team score of 16-over 304 over the Eagle Creek golf course. They stand 13th in the 16-team field, 11 strokes behind co-leaders East Carolina and Iowa State.
Greg Allen’s Commodore squad was paced by first-year player Virginia Green. The Fairhope, Ala. product posted a 1-over par 73, and is tied for 12th in the individual standings.
Vanderbilt head coach Greg Allen said his squad struggled on the par 5s and couldn’t drop enough putts. Collectively, the Commodores were six-over on the par 5s Sunday.
“It certainly didn’t go as I expected,” Allen said. “We didn’t play the par 5s very well and weren’t very good around the greens. “As disappointing as we played, we are certainly still in striking distance. There is plenty of golf left and we just have to be sharper over the next two days.”
The team’s No. 1 player, sophomore Abbey Carlson from Lake Mary, Fla., let a solid score get away with three late bogeys. Carlson still managed to notch a 3-over 75, the team’s second lowest individual score.
Freshman Morgan Baxendale, playing close to her hometown of Windermere, Fla., started with a birdie on her first hole of the day, but couldn’t continue the momentum. She concluded with a five-over 77.
The Commodores’ two most experienced players had disappointing rounds. Senior Alexandra Farnsworth from Nashville finished with a 79 and junior Courtney Zeng from the Orlando area ended with a 83.
Louise Yu of Peachtree Ridge, Ga., a third Commodore freshman playing as an individual, notched a 2-over 74 and is tied for 16th in the individual race.
The second round will be played Monday at the Eagle Creek venue, with a shotgun format starting at 7:45 a.m. CT.
UCF Challenge Team Standings
13. Vanderbilt – 304
Vanderbilt Individual Scores
T-12. Virginia Green – 73
T-24. Abbey Carlson – 75
T-50. Morgan Baxendale – 77
T-73. Alexandra Farnsworth – 79
T-85. Courtney Zeng – 83
Other Vanderbilt Participants
T-16. Louise Yu – 74
