March 20, 2017
JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" Freshman Kayley Marschke posted a collegiate-best round of 67, leading a strong day for the Auburn women's golf team Monday at the Briar's Creek Invitational.
Marschke posted rounds of 67-73=140 (-4) to move into a tie for third place after a 36-hole day at The Golf Club at Briar's Creek (par 72, 6,101 yards). The Tigers are in sixth place at 3-over-par after rounds of 288-291=579, one shot back of a tie for fourth place.
"Thirty-six hole days are always interesting with a lot of golf shots, both good and not so good," Auburn head coach Melissa Luellen said. "We made a lot of birdies and two eagles, but our par-4 play definitely needs to improve tomorrow."
Marschke's round of 67 was a collegiate-best by two strokes, besting her previous low round of 69 from the Maryb S. Kauth Invitational in October. It was her fourth round under par of the season. Starting on the eighth hole with the shotgun start, she quickly got to 2-under with birdies at 10 and 12, then carded her only bogey of the round at 13. From there, she would play her final 12 holes bogey-free with four birdies ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" including two on her final two holes ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" to post her low round of the year. The second round saw her record four more birdies but finish one over par, moving to 4-under through two rounds.
After opening with a 79 in the first round, freshman Elena Hualde bounced back with a 2-under-par 70 for Auburn's low score of the afternoon round. She birdied four of her first five holes and overcame a double-bogey and two bogeys to finish with birdies on two of her final four holes.
"Kayley played really solid," Luellen said. "She has been working hard on her various wedge distances, and it paid off by playing the par-5 holes at 6-under. I was pleased with Elena's bounce-back round of 70 in the breezy afternoon."
Junior Michaela Owen is tied for 33rd place after rounds of 72-75=147 (+3), junior Kelli Murphy shot 75-73=148 (+4) to tie for 41st place, and sophomore Melanie Talbott is tied for 48th, along with Hualde.
As a team, the Tigers recorded 36 birdies on the day and a pair of eagles on the seventh hole; Owen carded an eagle in the first round and Talbott had one in the second round.
Florida leads the team standings at 13-under, 10 shots ahead of second-place Campbell. Illinois is third at 1-over, followed by Louisville and Miami, tied at 2-over. Two players are tied for the individual lead at 7-under.
The final round gets underway at 8 a.m. CT Tuesday with a shotgun start. Auburn will be paired with Miami and Louisville for the final 18 holes. Live scoring is available at golfstatresults.com.
First- and second-round results from the Briar's Creek Invitational, hosted by College of Charleston at The Golf Club at Briar's Creek (par 72, 6,101 yards) in Johns Island, S.C.:
Team Standings
1. Florida ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 563 (-13)
2. Campbell ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 573 (-3)
3. Illinois ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 577 (+1)
T4. Louisville ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 578 (+2)
T4. Miami ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 578 (+2)
6. Auburn ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 579 (+3)
7. Michigan State ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 584 (+8)
8. Texas Tech ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 587 (+11)
T9. Boston College ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 588 (+12)
T9. Ohio State ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 588 (+12)
T9. East Carolina ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 588 (+12)
12. Charleston Southern ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 589 (+13)
13. Wisconsin ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 590 (+14)
T14. North Carolina ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 597 (+21)
T14. College of Charleston ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 597 (+21)
16. Penn State ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 600 (+24)
17. Long Beach State ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 609 (+33)
18. Kansas ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 610 (+34)
Auburn Individuals
T3. Kayley Marschke ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 67-73=140 (-4)
T33. Michaela Owen ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 72-75=147 (+3)
T41. Kelli Murphy ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 75-73=148 (+4)
T48. Elena Hualde ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 79-70=149 (+5)
T48. Melanie Talbott ÃÆ'Æ'¢ÃƒÆ'¢'¬" 74-75=149 (+5)