April 15, 2011
AUBURN - Hosting the Southeastern Conference Women's Golf Championship at the Auburn University Club, the No. 20/18 Tigers went out and carded a first-round 5-under-par 283 to take the lead after the first round of play. Three Auburn players finished the first day in the top 10, led by senior Cydney Clanton in a tie for second with a 3-under 69.
Auburn's first-round score of 283 ranks as the third-best score all-time for the Tigers in the SEC Championship.
"There is still a lot of golf left - it is 54 holes and it's a body of work for the whole week," said Auburn head coach Kim Evans. "We are extremely excited for our start, especially since we got off to a pretty slow start on the first couple of holes. I'm very proud of our girls, but our goal now is to be prepared for tomorrow, and not to get ahead of ourselves or look too far behind."
Conducted by the SEC and Auburn University, the SEC Championship is a 54-hole stroke play tournament being played at the Auburn University Club. The tournament features eight teams ranked in the top 25 in the nation. The par-72 course is playing at 6,364 yards for the tournament.
Clanton, a native of Concord, N.C., led the Tigers on the first day of the tournament with a 3-under 69, a mark that ties her for second in the 60-player field. It is her sixth round in the 60s this season and ties the Auburn record for an individual round in the SEC Championship.
"We had a slow start, had a little bit a nerves being here and playing in front of family and friends," said Clanton. "I had a little jitters at the start, but I calmed down and made some birdies, giving myself a lot of opportunities."
Clanton made the turn at 1-over par, but posted a bogey-free back nine with four birdies to finish with a 69.
Right behind her is sophomore Carlie Yadloczky, a native of Casselberry, Fla., in a tie for fourth at 2-under 70 - her low round of the season. She was even-par on the front and carded three birdies and a bogey on the back to post her first sub-par round this season.
Also finishing the day under par was junior Haley Wilson, a native of Ft. Mitchell, Ala., who carded a 1-under 71. She enters the second round in a tie for ninth, giving Auburn three players in the top 10.
Freshman Marta Sanz, a native of Madrid, Spain, carded a 1-over 73 in her SEC Championship debut, finishing the day in a tie for 19th. She made the turn at 2-over, but played the back nine under par to finish with the 73. Rounding out the Auburn lineup was Marta's older sister, Patricia Sanz, who finished the day tied for 46th with an 8-over 80.
Individually, Tennessee's Erica Popson is in the lead with a 6-under 66. Her first-round score set a new SEC record for an individual first-round score. Right behind her is a tie for second between Clanton and Arkansas' Emily Tubert with 3-under 69s.
Yadloczky, LSU's Tessa Teachman, Vanderbilt's Anna Leigh Keith, Alabama's Brooke Pancake and Georgia's Marta Silva Zamora are in a tie for fourth with 2-under 70s. Wilson, Mississippi State's Erika Thornton, Georgia's Kiara Hayashida, Florida's Mia Piccio and Alabama's Stephanie Meadow round out the top 10 and those under par in a tie for ninth with 1-under 71s.
In the team race, Auburn set the pace with a 5-under 283, followed by Tennessee in second with a 3-under 285. LSU is in third at 1-under 287 while Arkansas is fourth with a 1-over 289. Alabama rounds out the top five with a 3-over 291.
Action at the 2011 SEC Women's Golf Championship will continue at 8:30 a.m., Saturday with tee times off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees. Auburn will tee off from 9:20 - 10 a.m. off the No. 1 tee, playing alongside Tennessee and LSU. Fans can follow all the action with live stats at www.GolfStat.com.
AUBURN, Ala. - First round results from the SEC Championship hosted by Auburn University at the Auburn University Club. Par: 72. Yardage: 6,364.
TEAM RESULTS
1 - Auburn - 283--283 (-5)
2 - Tennessee - 285--285 (-2)
3 - LSU - 287--287 (-1)
4 - Arkansas - 289--289 (+1)
5 - Alabama - 291--291 (+3)
6 - Georgia - 292--292 (+4)
7 - Vanderbilt - 295--295 (+7)
8 - University of Florida - 301--301 (+13)
9 - South Carolina - 302--302 (+14)
T10 - Kentucky - 315--315 (+27)
T10 - Mississippi State - 315--315 (+27)
12 - Mississippi - 316--316 (+28)
TOP 10 INDIVIDUALS AND AUBURN RESULTS
1 - Erica Popson (Tennessee) - 66--66 (-6)
T2 - Cydney Clanton (Auburn) - 69--69 (-3)
T2 - Emily Tubert (Arkansas) - 69--69 (-3)
T4 - Carlie Yadloczky (Auburn) - 70--70 (-2)
T4 - Tessa Teachman (LSU) - 70--70 (-2)
T4 - Anna Leigh Keith (Vanderbilt) - 70--70 (-2)
T4 - Brooke Pancake (Alabama) - 70--70 (-2)
T4 - Marta Silva Zamora (Georgia) - 70--70 (-2)
T9 - Haley Wilson (Auburn) - 71--71 (-1)
T9 - Erika Thornton (Mississippi State) - 71--71 (-1)
T9 - Kiara Hayashida (Georgia) - 71--71 (-1)
T9 - Mia Piccio (University of Florida) - 71--71 (-1)
T9 - Stephanie Meadow (Alabama) - 71--71 (-1)
T19 - Marta Sanz (Auburn) - 73--73 (E)
T46 - Patricia Sanz (Auburn) - 80--80 (+8)