Sept. 18, 2015
Senior Alex Harrell shot 69 (-3) in the first round of the Mason Rudolph Championship. (Wade Rackley photo)
FRANKLIN, Tenn. ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" Senior Alex Harrell shot a 3-under-par 69 to lead the Auburn women's golf team to its first sub-par round of the season Friday at the Mason Rudolph Championship.
The Tigers shot 287 (-1) as a team in the opening round at the Vanderbilt Legends Club South Course (par 72, 6,321 yards) and are in fifth place in the 17-team field, five shots out of the tournament lead.
Harrell recorded her best round since last season's Alamo Invitational, when she closed with a 68. Bogey-free through the first 16 holes with birdies at the fifth, seventh and 15th holes. Her one blemish of the day came with a bogey at the par-5 17th, but a birdie at the 18th got her back to 3-under and gave Auburn its first individual round under par of the season. Harrell is tied for fourth place in the individual standings.
Junior Clara Baena, who was runner-up at this event a year ago, shot an even-par 72 for her low round of the season thus far. She made two bogeys and two birdies on the front nine, then closed with 10 consecutive pars. Baena is tied for 19th through 18 holes.
Auburn's three other players all posted rounds of 73 (+1) and are tied for 27th place. Sophomore Kelli Murphy bogeyed her first two holes, but bounced back to play her final 16 holes at 1-under with a bogey at 11 and consecutive birdies at 14 and 15. Sophomore Michaela Owen made three birdies and three bogeys on her first six holes, then went bogey-birdie again at 10 and 11 before a bogey at the 14th to close at 1-over. And freshman Mai Dechathipat birdied three of her first six holes en route to her best collegiate round in her second tournament.
Alabama leads the tournament at 6-under, followed by Northwestern at 5-under. Virginia's Lauren Coughlin leads the individual standings at 6-under with Alabama's Lakareber Abe one shot back.
The second round of the Mason Rudolph Championship gets underway Saturday morning. Auburn will tee off at paired with Virginia and Louisville. Live scoring is available at birdiefire.com.
First-round results from the Mason Rudolph Championship, hosted by Vanderbilt at the Vanderbilt Legends Club South Course in Franklin, Tenn. (par 72, 6,204 yards)
Team Standings
1. Alabama ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 282 (-6)
2. Northwestern ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 283 (-5)
T3. Georgia ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 286 (-2)
T3. Virginia ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 286 (-2)
5. Auburn ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 287 (-1)
T6. Louisville ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 288 (E)
T6. LSU ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 288 (E)
8. UCF ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 293 (+5)
9. GRU Augusta ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 294 (+6)
10. Michigan State ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 295 (+7)
11. Vanderbilt ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 296 (+8)
12. Middle Tennessee ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 297 (+9)
13. Baylor ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 298 (+10)
14. Tulane ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 299 (+11)
15. Houston ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 300 (+12)
16. South Carolina ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 302 (+14)
17. Yale ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 310 (+22)
Auburn Individuals
T4. Alex Harrell ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 69 (-3)
T19. Clara Baena ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 72 (E)
T27. Kelli Murphy ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 73 (+1)
T27. Michaela Owen ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 73 (+1)
T27. Mai Dechathipat ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 73 (+1)