FRANKLIN, Tenn. – The Vanderbilt women’s golf squad enters the final round of play at the Mason Rudolph Championship on Sunday in contention to sweep team and individual honors.
The Commodores share the team lead with Charlotte through two rounds after posting an even-par 288 on Saturday at Vanderbilt Legends North Course.
While her teammates compete for the overall trophy, senior Abbey Carlson will aim to become the first Commodore to capture back-to-back medalist honors at the home tournament. Carlson fired her eighth consecutive sub-par round in Mason Rudolph play, posting a 2-under-par 70. She enters the final round in second place, one stroke behind the pace set by Charlotte’s Ashley Fowler.
Vanderbilt head coach Greg Allen doesn’t feel like his Commodores have played their best. He’s looking for more improvement on Sunday.
“It’s nice to see Abbey have a chance to defend her title, but for some reason, overall we just haven’t had our best stuff. And I’m okay with that, because we need to learn how to find a way when we aren’t making putts,” Allen said. “The course is playing tougher than it’s played in a really long time.
“I’m excited about tomorrow and have total faith that we will come out ready to compete.”
Carlson’s opened the second round with back-to-back birdies at No. 4 and No. 5, but didn’t make another until the 18th hole. She kept the round under par by making just one bogey.
Morgan Baxendale, a junior from Windermere, Florida, jumped into the top-10 individually after posting a 1-under-par 71. Baxendale’s bogey-free round featured just a single birdie on the par-4 eighth. Baxendale is 1-under for the tournament with a two-round 143.
Sophomore Auston Kim improved two strokes off her opening round score of 2-over-par 74. She is tied for 20th in the individual competition with a 36-hole 146.
Louise Yu made one birdie in a round of 3-over-par 75. She is tied for 29th with a two-round 4-over-par 148.
The fifth member of Vanderbilt’s starting five, freshman Tess Davenport, finished with her second straight 3-over-par 75. Davenport’s second round featured birdies on her first and last holes of the day.
Three other Commodores — freshman Jayna Choi, freshman Celina Sattelkau and junior Virginia Green — are competing in the individual race. Choi moved well up the leaderboard with a 1-under-par 71, and sits in a tie for 13th place with a 36-hole, 1-over 145. Sattelkau also moved up after an even-par 72. She is tied for 46th with a 6-over 150. Green is 79th overall, with a two-day total of 161.
The Commodores will return for the final round Sunday. They will be on the No. 1 tee starting at 10:10 a.m.
