APSU Sports: Austin Peay Women’s Golf
Pawleys Island, SC – Austin Peay State University women’s golf team parlayed a trio of 76s into a sixth-place tie, Sunday, after the first round of The Golfweek Program Challenge, being played on the par-71, 6,121-yard Caledonia Golf.
The Lady Govs shot an opening-round 312, tying them with Georgetown.
Seniors Tabitha Beard and Lauren Bond, along with freshman Jessica Cathey, each shot 76 in their respective season’s first tournament round, tying them for 17th overall. Senior Holly Batey (84) and junior Rachel Deaton rounded out the day’s scores.Beard had a pair of birdies on par 3s but had five bogeys and one double. Lauren Bond’s one birdie came on the par 4 fifth hole to go with four bogeys and one double.
Cathey, meanwhile, had just one birdie on the par 3 hole but also had six bogeys in her first collegiate round.
“I was very impressed with the way the girls played today,” said APSU interim coach Chelsea Harris. “We could have very easily shot 10 strokes better. We struggled with putting today. We were all around the edges.
“I was proud of every single girl for fighting their hearts out today. I am read to see the next two days get better.”
The tourney’s second round will be played Monday. Campbell is the runaway leader after the first round with a two-over 286, followed by Boston College (300), Troy (301), James Madison (302), Central Arkansas (304), followed by APSU and Georgetown. The Lady Govs finished Day 1 four strokes ahead of OVC rival Jacksonville State.
The Golfweek Program Challenge consists of women and men’s teams from 12 NCAA Division I schools playing 54 holes on separate courses. After the completion of the final round, women and men’s team champions will be crowned. But so, too, will be the Program Challenge winner – the school (both men and women’s teams) that has the lowest cumulative score.