Clarksville, TN – A fired-up Austin Peay State University (APSU) women’s golf program was on the prowl at the top of the leaderboard all day for the opening 36 holes of the 2019 F&M Bank APSU Intercollegiate, putting the Govs in striking distance with 18 holes to play at Clarksville Country Club.
The Govs opening-round 301—the third-best round in program history at the home event—had them in the lead following 18 holes and, despite a second-round surge by IUPUI, will have the Govs in second entering the final round.
The Govs 603 (301-302) has them four shots off IUPUI’s 599 (304-295). They’ll be challenged Tuesday by Western Carolina, four shots back at 606, with Tennessee Tech (613) lurking.
“Our goal the last few weeks has been to break 300,” said head coach Jessica Cathey. “Knowing how close they are, how good we played today and the shots we left out there, it’s going to give us the mindset we need to go out and go lower tomorrow.”
A trio of Govs are in the top-10 after 36 holes, and few players produced better than sophomore Taylor Dedmen on Monday. She got out to a solid start in the morning round, parring all the way across the front nine and not encountering a bogey until No. 18. In the afternoon, Dedmen shook off four bogeys on the front with a trio of back-nine birdies and will take a one-over 145 (72-73) into the final round. She’s tied for the tournament lead with 27 pars.
Dedmen is also tied for the tournament high in par-4 scoring with Shelby Darnell (4.06 strokes per hole) and tied for seventh overall (73-78—151). Darnell did her damage on the front nine with an even-par 35, buffeted by birdies on Holes No. 1, 6 and 9.
Rounding out the top-10 for the Govs for the first two rounds was senior Meghann Stamps, who took a more circuitous route to her 153 (82-71). After an opening round marred by a triple-bogey on No. 5 and a double on No. 16, she rallied with four birdies—including the No. 5—in a second round where her only blemish was a triple on No. 9. Her one-under stroke average (4.90) on par-5 holes tied with Dedmen for the team high.
Junior Riley Cooper has a chance to move into the top-10 with a strong final day of play. The Clarksville High School product, playing mere minutes from her alma mater, shot 156 (76-80), tied for 15th and three shots behind Stamps for a top-10 showing. She averaged 4.25 strokes per hole on par-4 offerings, one of three Govs among the top-four on par-4 holes—Austin Peay State University led the way by a wide margin with a 4.35 team average on par-4 holes.
“Taylor and Shelby did a great job today avoiding big numbers. Bogeys don’t kills us; big numbers, will kill us and that was their mindset.”
Junior Andrea Presilla (80-87—167) rounded out the day for the lineup. In her first action as a Gov, freshman Payton Elkins’ 166 (81-85) was a solid opening salvo in her first home appearance.
Final-round action at Clarksville Country Club begins 8:30am, Tuesday, October 1st. The Govs will be paired with IUPUI and Western Carolina on Holes No. 1-5.
