May 6, 2010
NCAA East Regional Tournament Central
GREENVILLE, N.C. - The No. 4-ranked Auburn women's golf team carded an 8-under-par 280 Thursday in the first round of the NCAA East Regional Championship, taking the lead in the 24-team field. Four Auburn players carded sub-par rounds, placing four Tigers in the top 20.
The NCAA East Regional is a 54-hole stroke play event hosted by East Carolina University at Ironwood Country Club. The par-72 course is playing at 6,321 yards for the three-day tournament.
The NCAA East Regional is one of three qualifying tournaments for the NCAA Championship, set for May 18-21 at the Country Club of Landfall in Wilmington, N.C. The top eight teams from each of the three regionals will advance to the NCAA Championship.
The NCAA Central Regional will take place at Otter Creek Golf Course, hosted by Indiana University in Columbus, Indiana, while the NCAA West Regional is set for the Stanford Golf Course in Palo Alto, Calif.
The Tigers made the turn at 1-over-par, but stormed into the lead on the back nine, running its total up to 10-under-par at one point. Auburn gave up a pair of strokes on the final hole, but it was good enough to take first place ahead of 7-under-par Pepperdine.
The quick start was a pleasant change for the Tigers after struggling in the opening rounds of tournaments throughout the season.
"We had not been getting off to good starts, so it was nice to get a good one today," said Auburn head coach Kim Evans. "It is a three-day tournament, though, and we can still try to improve and get better each day.
"I'm glad today was a good one, the team knows they can play under par and post a good score as a team. You want your strongest memory to be a good one."
Four Tigers are currently ranked in the top 20, led by freshman Carlie Yadloczky in fifth with a career-best 4-under-par 68. Her score is tied for the second-lowest round ever by an Auburn player in a NCAA Regional.
"We had a good day today, had a lot of great looks on the golf course," said Evans. "Carlie had a great round today, it was a little tough closing it out, but she did a great job. She has the ability to play like that every time, it has just taken some time adjusting to college golf."
Sophomore Haley Wilson is two strokes back of Yadloczky, placing in a tie for 10th at 2-under 70. Junior Cydney Clanton and senior Candace Schepperle are both tied for 20th with 1-under-par 71s.
"Cydney and Candace played very well today, they were solid through and through," said Evans. "Haley had a nice round today as well. She lost a shot late, but was very solid today."
Sophomore Patricia Sanz rounds out the Auburn lineup in a tie for 80th with a 3-over 75.
In all, Auburn carded 20 birdies and an eagle on the day with freshman Yadloczky accounting for the eagle and six birdies. She had her score as low as 7-under-par at one point, but dropped three strokes on the final two holes.
In the team race, Pepperdine is one stroke back of the Tigers while South Carolina and Tennessee are three strokes behind Auburn at 5-under-par 283. Florida rounds out the top five at 4-under 284, giving the SEC four of the top five teams in the tournament field.
Individually, East Tennessee State's Nina Muehl is in the lead at 8-under-par 64. South Carolina's Katie Burnett and Pepperdine's Danielle Kang and Jessica Wallace are tied for second with 5-under 67s. Auburn's Yadloczky rounds out the top five at 4-under 68.
Action at the NCAA East Regional is set to continue at 7 a.m. CT, Friday with tee times off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees. Auburn's tee times will begin at 12:26 p.m. off the No. 10 tee with the Tigers playing with Duke and Wake Forest.
"Today was a good day and we will take it and get prepared for tomorrow," said Evans. "We cannot sit on this round for too long, we have to take care of round two."
Fans can follow all the action with live stats at www.GolfStat.com.
GREENVILLE, N.C. -- First-round results from the NCAA East Regional Championship hosted by East Carolina University at the Ironwood Country Club. Par: 72. Yardage: 6,321.
TEAM RESULTS
1 - Auburn - 280 (-8)
2 - Pepperdine - 281 (-7)
T3 - South Carolina - 283 (-5)
T3 - Tennessee - 283 (-5)
5 - Florida - 284 (-4)
T6 - Tulane - 285 (-3)
T6 - East Tennessee State - 285 (-3)
T6 - Texas Tech - 285 (-3)
9 - Texas Christian - 287 (-1)
T10 - Duke - 290 (+2)
T10 - Georgia State - 290 (+2)
12 - Vanderbilt - 292 (+4)
T13 - East Carolina - 293 (+5)
T13 - Tennessee-Chattanooga - 293 (+5)
15 - North Carolina - 294 (+6)
16 - Wake Forest - 296 (+8)
T17 - Campbell - 297 (+9)
T17 - College of Charleston - 297 (+9)
19 - Stetson - 298 (+10)
T20 - Washington - 305 (+17)
T20 - Furman - 305 (+17)
22 - Coastal Carolina - 307 (+19)
23 - Charleston Southern - 315 (+27)
24 - Fairleigh Dickinson - 327 (+39)
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
5 - Carlie Yadloczky - 68 (-4)
T10 - Haley Wilson - 70 (-2)
T20 - Cydney Clanton - 71 (-1)
T20 - Candace Schepperle - 71 (-1)
T67 - Patricia Sanz - 75 (+3)