BRYAN, Texas – Vanderbilt women’s golf is tied for seventh following a 9-over-par 297 on the opening day of action in the NCAA Bryan Regional at Traditions Club.
Teeing off at the 10th, a solid start to the opening round saw the Commodores 2-under at the turn and among the team leaders. However, the front nine of Traditions Club proved troublesome for the Dores who gave back nine strokes in the final five holes of the round. The Dores sit four strokes back of Iowa State in the fifth and final qualifying spot.
“I thought for the most part, and with all things considered, we did a fairly decent job today,” said head coach Greg Allen. “We had a few bad breaks from not being able to play a practice round that cost us and we made a few mistakes that were because of immaturity.”
Senior Virginie Ding spent much of the day atop the individual leaderboard before finishing tied for sixth with a 1-under 71. Ding was stellar on the first nine holes, capping her opening stretch with an eagle on the par-5 18th to go 4-under at the turn. Playing from a soggy area on the eighth, Ding’s approach shot fell inches short of clearing the marked hazard, costing her a pair of strokes on an otherwise outstanding day. She finished the round with three birdies along with the aforementioned eagle.
Graduate student Celina Sattelkau produced an even-par 72 in Monday’s round. Sattelkau bogeyed the 16th, her seventh hole of the day, before pulling the stroke back on the final hole. Her 16 pars are tied for the most among all players in the first round.
“I’m really proud of the round Ding and Celina gave us,” said Allen. “Ding really had it going most of the day but unfortunately the course conditions cost her a bit on her 17th hole.”
Sophomore Lynn Lim carded a 2-over 74 with two birdies in the round to sit just outside the top 20 after round one. Tillie Claggett and Ava Merrill both finished a tough opening day with scores of 8-over 80.
Vanderbilt carded 61 pars, third-most on the day, but it was the big numbers which tripped up the Dores in the opening round with a triple and three double-bogeys down the stretch.
“There’s still so much golf to be played,” said Allen, “and if we can come out here and play the way that we’re capable of playing then we’re going to be just fine.”
SMU and LSU sit as co-leaders with 2-under rounds of 286. The Commodores will tee off on the first hole at 8:50 a.m. in Tuesday’s second round and are paired with Texas State and Maryland.
