May 10, 2012
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Tournament Central | Live Scoring | Digital Program
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Southeastern Conference champion Auburn women's golf team carded an 18-over 306 Thursday in the first round of the NCAA Central Regional, finishing the day in a tie for fifth. Senior Patricia Sanz, the SEC individual medalist, led the Tigers with a 2-over 74, tying for 12th.
Conducted by the NCAA and Ohio State University, the NCAA Central Regional Championship is a 54-hole stroke play tournament being played at the Scarlet Course at the Ohio State University Golf Club. The 24-team tournament features nine teams ranked in the top 25 in the nation. The par-72 course is playing at 6,264 yards for the tournament.
The NCAA Central Regional is one of three qualifying tournaments for the NCAA Championship, set for May 22-25 at the Vanderbilt Legends Club in Franklin, Tenn. The top eight teams from each of the three regionals will advance to the NCAA Championship.
Auburn finishes the first day in the top five and just eight strokes out of first place. It is not unfamiliar territory for the Tigers as they were in second and nine stroke out of first after 18 holes at the SEC Championship. Auburn went on to take the lead after the second day before holding on to win the team's third SEC title in the last four years.
"We started out of the gate really well and had a little adversity, trouble with the greens and probably getting to know the golf course," said Auburn head coach Kim Evans. "I'm kind of glad the round is over and that the team saw the course in a competitive nature versus a practice round. We just have to go back, get ready and see if we can get things going tomorrow."
The Tigers made easy work of the front nine at the Scarlet Course, making the turn in the lead at even-par. But, Auburn found trouble early on the back nine, slipping back into a tie for fifth.
"Nos. 10, 11 and 12 are a rough start and No. 13 was dead into the wind, and it kicked up around then too," said Evans. "We went from playing a still front nine to making the turn on some tough holes in the wind. We got punched in the belly right in the middle of the round and didn't recover from it like we should have."
With her 2-over 74, senior Patricia Sanz has now led the Tigers in three of the team's last four competitive rounds. She played a steady round with two birdies, four bogeys and 12 pars. She finished the day in a tie for 12th and four strokes out of the lead.
"Patti played a good and steady round today," said Evans. "The team left some putts out there, but she stayed in it and stayed true to what she has been doing since the SEC Championship."
Right behind her was younger sister Marta Sanz with a 4-over 76. She was 3-under after six holes and made the turn at 2-under, but the back nine gave her problems. A double-bogey to start and four straight bogeys late in the round dropped her into a tie for 29th.
Just one stroke behind her was junior Carlie Yadloczky with a 5-over 77. She finished the day in a tie for 34th after carding five bogeys and 13 pars.
Freshman Victoria Trapani, making her first NCAA Regional appearance, had the biggest turnaround of the day. She had a tough front nine, making the turn at 5-over. But, she rebounded on the back, playing even-par through the first eight holes before running into trouble and taking a double-bogey on No. 18. She finished the day in a tie for 56th.
Rounding out the Auburn lineup was senior Haley Wilson with an 11-over 83. She finished the day in a tie for 101st.
Top-seeded Southern California finished the day in the lead with a 10-over 298, just one stroke ahead of Georgia. Purdue is in third with a 13-over 301 with Notre Dame in fourth at 15-over 304. Auburn and Tennessee round out the top five with 18-over 306s.
Individually, Vanderbilt's Marina Alex is in the lead with a 2-under 70, followed by Paula Reto (Purdue) and Maria Salinas (Florida State) with 1-under 71s. Ashley Armstrong (Notre Dame), Alex Buelow (Stetson), Doris Checn (Southern California) and Madeleine Sheils (Nebraska) are all tied for fourth with even-par 72s.
Tee times at the NCAA Central Regional will continue at 7 a.m. CT, Friday off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees. Auburn will go in the afternoon wave, teeing off No. 10 from 12:26 - 1:10 p.m. CT. The Tigers will be playing alongside Southern California and Georgia.
Fans can follow all the action with live scoring at www.GolfStat.com. Tournament information can be found at www.OhioStateBuckeyes.com.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- First-round results from the NCAA Central Regional Championship hosted by Ohio State at the Ohio State University Golf Club - Scarlet Course. Par: 72. Yardage: 6,264.
TEAM RESULTS
1 - Southern California - 298--298 (+10)
2 - Georgia - 299--299 (+11)
3 - Purdue - 310--301 (+13)
4 - Notre Dame - 304--304 (+15)
T5 - Auburn - 306--306 (+18)
T5 - Tennessee - 306--306 (+18)
7 - North Carolina State - 307--307 (+19)
T8 - Oregon - 308--308 (+20)
T8 - Virginia - 308--308 (+20)
T8 - Vanderbilt - 308--308 (+20)
11 - South Florida - 309--309 (+21)
T12 - Ohio State - 310--310 (+22)
T12 - Arkansas - 310--310 (+22)
14 - Florida State - 314--314 (+26)
T15 - Ole Miss - 315--315 (+27)
T15 - Harvard - 315--315 (+27)
T15 - Michigan - 315--315 (+27)
18 - Texas-San Antonio - 317--317 (+29)
19 - Texas State - 320--320 (+32)
20 - Butler - 321--321 (+33)
21 - Kentucky - 322--322 (+34)
22 - North Carolina-Wilmington - 323--323 (+35)
23 - Siena - 328--328 (+40)
24 - East Carolina - 329--329 (+41)
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
T12 - Patricia Sanz - 74--74 (+2)
T29 - Marta Sanz - 76--76 (+4)
T34 - Carlie Yadloczky - 77--77 (+5)
T56 - Victoria Trapani - 79--79 (+7)
T101 - Haley Wilson - 83--83 (+11)