CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Despite not playing their best golf, the No. 2/No. 3 Commodores are tied for seventh after the opening round of the Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invitational.
The Commodores posted a 2-over par team total of 290 on Friday, and are tied with South Carolina behind first-round leader Duke.
Junior Abbey Carlson, recently named to the ANNIKA Award player of the year watch list, paced the Commodores with a 2-under par round of 70. Carlson was the only Commodore golfer to break par on the 6,279-yard Finley Golf Course on the University of North Carolina campus.
Head coach Greg Allen was upbeat after watching his Commodores post a solid score while combining to make just 11 birdies on the day.
“We certainly didn’t have our best stuff today but I’m really proud of how the girls handled themselves,” Allen said. “They kept their composure, stayed patient and didn’t get too frustrated when the putts weren’t dropping and our ball striking got us in trouble.
“I’m looking forward to how we perform Saturday. There’s still a lot of golf to be played this weekend and I’m anxious to see how we respond to today’s round,” Allen added.
The Commodores struggled early in the round, making six more bogeys than birdies over their opening nine holes. They closed the round more impressively, going 4-under par as a team over their final seven holes.
Carlson, from Lake Mary, Fla., was the team’s low scorer and most consistent player on Friday, and enters the second round tied for 12th-place in the individual race. She opened with 12 straight pars before posting two birdies late in the round en route to a two-under 70. It marks Carlson’s fifth consecutive under-par round this fall.
Senior Courtney Zeng, a product of Orlando, Fla., continued her solid play. An individual runner-up at the Powerade Cougar Classic last month near Charleston, Zeng rebounded from two early bogeys with three birdies over her last 12 holes to finish with an even-par round of 72. She is tied for 19th individually.
Louise Yu, a sophomore from Duluth, Ga., had three birdies in a 1-over par round of 73. She is tied for 26th.
Auston Kim, a freshman from St. Augustine, Fla., finished strong, making two birdies over her closing six holes to manage a 3-over par 75.
Annie Kim, a freshman from Seoul, South Korea, managed just one birdie in a 4-over par 76.
Playing as a sixth Commodore in the individual competition, sophomore Morgan Baxendale from Windermere, Fla. shot a 2-over par 74.
Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invitational
Team Results – 1st Round
1. Vanderbilt 271
2. Virginia 277
3. Arkansas 285
4. Louisville 288
T-5. Furman 289
T-5. Wake Forest 289
T-7. VANDERBILT 290
T-7. South Carolina 290
9. Michigan State 296
10. North Carolina 297
11. NC State 298
12. Ohio State 300
T-13. Charlotte 301
T-13. Tulane 301
15. Michigan 302
16. Clemson 303
17. UNC-Wilmington 305
18. Rollins College 309
Vanderbilt Individual Scores
T-12. Abbey Carlson 70
T-19. Courtney Zeng 72
T-26. Louise Yu 73
T-32. Morgan Baxendale 74^
T-42. Auston Kim 75
T-52. Annie Kim 76
^ individual participant
