RICHMOND, Ky.-With junior Chelsea Harris leading the way, Austin Peay State University women's golf team is tied for sixth place after the first two rounds of the EKU Lady Colonels Classic, being played 5,817-yard, par-72 Arlington Golf Club course.
Despite early morning frost that delayed the tourney's start, the Lady Govs shot a 306-310 for a 616 to tie host Eastern Kentucky in sixth place, 11 shots off the lead forged by Memphis, Arkansas State and Morehead State, who sit at 605. The 17-team, 54-hole tourney will conclude Sunday.
"We played more like we are capable," APSU coach Sara Robson said. "We were able to make more putts, our short game was much better. But we still not hitting the ball in the fairways as consistently as we would like."
Consistency, however, was the byword for Harris, the 2009 All-Ohio Valley Conference selection. The junior ended the day at two-over par, shooting 74-72, to sit in a first-place tie with Arkansas State's Anna Carling.
"Chelsea really played well today," Robson said. "She was able to go low-two-over is a really good score."
Two other Lady Govs, freshman Catherine Smith (78-78=156/t31st) and senior Staci Lynch (79-78=157/t34th), recorded a pair of respective rounds under 80. Meanwhile, junior Ashley Wathen (159/t43rd) fired an opening-round 75 but slipped to an afternoon 84, while junior Beth Ann Burns shot 83-82=165/t67th). Playing as individuals, junior Catie Tucker shot 81-81=162 (t/53rd) while senior Angelina Manzitto (84-84=168/t80th).
The Lady Govs' first-round 306 was their spring season's best round by far and had APSU in fourth place after the opening round.
"It was good to go out and played well," Robson said. "Ashley's 75 was a big reason why we shot the 306 in the first round. She lost her focus a little bit in the second round but she really pulled it together late in the round. Staci and Catherine just played solid today.
"Hopefully, we can take the confidence we built today and hit a few more greens Sunday and continue to make putts."
-AP-
