Women's Golf Sits in 13th Place After Day One of NCAA Championship

RESULTS | PHOTO

Photos by Ken Chee

Angola, Ind., May 8, 2012 – The Washington University in St. Louis women's golf team fired an 18-hole score of 326 (+38) on Tuesday to sit in 13th place after day one of the 2012 NCAA Division III Championship held at Zollner Golf Course in Angola, Ind.

No. 11 ranked Williams College shot a 307 (+19) on day one to take the overall team lead. No. 1 ranked and 24-time NCAA Division III National Champion Methodist University is second after an opening round 310 (+22). Georgiana Salant of Williams College fired an even-par 72 to hold a one-stroke lead in the individual standings.

Freshman Olivia Lugar was the lone bright spot for Washington U. on the opening day of play. Lugar, who is ranked No. 1 in Division III with a 75.15 average, fired a two-over 74 to sit in a tie for fourth place. She recorded birdies on No. 6 and No. 7 en route to a one-under 35 on the opening nine, and had three bogeys on the back nine to finish with a three-over 39. Lugar is just two shots of the individual lead.

Junior Hannah Buck and sophomore Andrea Hibbert both played consistent golf for most of the day, but a couple bad holes cost the duo some precious strokes. Buck shot a two-over 38 on the opening nine highlighted by a birdie on No. 7, and was just three-over after 12 holes. A triple bogey on No. 13 and a double bogey on No. 14 was the difference for Buck, as she finished seven over on the back with a 43. Buck sits in a tie for 46th place with opening round 81 (+9).

Hibbert started slow, and was five-over after just four holes of play. A pair of pars on No. 5 and No. 6 and a birdie on No. 7 got Hibbert into a grove as she finished the front nine with a five-over 41. A quadruple bogey on the par-five No. 10 was the difference in the five-over 41 on the back. Hibbert birdied No. 14 and ended with three-straight pars for an opening round 82, good for a tie for 52nd place.

Senior Katie Homa overcame two triple bogeys and a quadruple bogey to shoot a 17-over 89 in the opening round. Homa is in a tie for 91st place out of 101 golfers in the field. After a seven-over 43 on the opening nine, Homa birdied the par-five 10th hole to get her score back to plus six. She tripled No. 11, and then after back-to-back pars on No. 15 and No. 16, Homa quadrupled the par-three 17th and bogeyed No. 18 to finish the back nine with 10-over 46.

Sophomore Allyson Chee struggled from start to finish on the opening day of the championship, shooting a 20-over par 92 to sit in a tie for 96th place. Chee shot 48 on the front nine and 44 on the back nine where she picked up her only two pars of the day.

Washington University continues play on Wednesday with 18 holes beginning at 8:50 a.m. (ET). Washington U. is paired up with No. 5 ranked University of Wisconsin Eau-Claire and No. 7 ranked Mary Hardin-Baylor for the second-straight day.