Moa Duf is tied for 13th at 74 after one round at NCAA Central Regional.

Courtesy: GoMocs.com

Related Links

FIRST ROUND RESULTS

COLUMBUS, Ohio---It was a good start to the 2009 NCAA Central Regional for the Chattanooga women’s golf team completing the opening round at 303 and tied for seventh at the Scarlet Course in Columbus, Ohio.  The Lady Mocs are tied with Georgia State just two behind sixth-place New Mexico.

No. 2 UCLA shot an impressive four-under par 284 teeing off in the morning round.  The Bruins lead No. 19 Michigan State and No. 9 Purdue by 11 strokes, while No. 5 Oklahoma State sits in fourth place at nine-over par, just six shots ahead of the Lady Mocs.

Individually, the UCLA duo of Stephanie Kono and Maria Jose Uribe shot twin 69s to lead the Bruins.  They lead teammate Sydnee Michaels and Wkae Forest’s Natalie Sheary by one shot at 70.

Moa Duf led off the round today and led the Lady Mocs with a two-over par 74.  Chattanooga started off on No. 10 playing the harder of the two sides starting its day in the afternoon wave.  Duf was even par at the turn before coming in with a 38 on her final holes.  She is tied for 13th with nine others at 74.

Duf opened with a beautiful birdie on 10 to set the tone for her day.  Before her 18 was over, she recorded three birdies against five bogeys keeping the big scores off her card.

Christine Wolf and Emma de Groot each shot 76 (+4) on their days.  Wolf had two birdies including one to complete her day on the lengthy par four ninth hole.  She played steady golf after opening with three straight bogeys.

de Groot was even par after a birdie on the par five 14th hole, her fifth hole of the day.  Four bogeys in five holes staggered the All-SoCon selection, but she righted the ship parring the final seven to post her 76.

Maria Juliana Loza rounded out the team scoring with a 77 (+5).  She could not get a birdie putt to fall as she recorded 13 pars with five bogeys.  SoCon Freshman of the Year Maria Salinas shot an 80 (+8) as she shakes off the rust from a lack of practice time due to an elbow injury.  The elbow did not flare during the round so there is a cautiously optimistic air heading into the final two days.

It was just a steady day for the Lady Mocs with few fireworks.  Chattanooga made the turn at six-over par and shot nine over on their final nine holes for its 303.  UTC shot just eight birdies, but held the course at bay with just three double bogeys.

“We put ourselves in good position,” said Head Coach Colette Murray.  “We know we left some shots on the course, but for the most part we played very solid.  We know we have not done anything yet.  Now we just need to build on what we started.”

The Lady Mocs topped eight teams ranked ahead of them in the Golfstat rankings.  Three of those are top 25 programs as UTC topped No. 17 Kent State by two, No. 24 and host school Ohio State by three and No. 15 Louisville by five.