Indiana University Athletics
Indiana University
NCAA Championship
Hoosiers 24th After First Round At NCAA Championship
5/22/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
May 22, 2007
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Indiana women's golf team, making their first NCAA Championship appearance since 1998, stands in 24th place after the first round at the LPGA International Legends Course on Tuesday, May 22. The Hoosiers turned in a total of 320 for the round.
"I think we learned a lot today," head coach Clint Wallman said. "There are tough conditions, and a little bit of our inexperience showed today, especially at the beginning, and we had a hard time coming back on track. We played the last six holes decently, and if we keep competing and just think that it is just another golf course, another round, another course, we will be fine."
Freshman Laura Nochta led the Hoosiers on the day with a total of 79 (42-37). Beginning on the 10th hole for the round, Nochta recorded six bogies on her first nine but regrouped to open the front nine with four consecutive pars. Although she carded two more bogies, Nochta birdied the eighth hole and closed out with a par to wrap up her round. She is tied for 83rd with her total.
She was followed by juniors Lauren Harling and Elaine Harris, who are each tied for 95th after turning in rounds of 80. Harris opened with a double-bogey six on the par-four 10th hole and had three more bogies for a five-over 41 on her first nine, and then carded three bogies to go along with six pars for a three-over 39 on the second nine. Harling recorded one birdie to go along with two bogies and a triple-bogey on the back nine to open the day with a 42. She had two more birdies on the front nine, but that was matched with one double bogey, two bogies and three pars for a two-over 38.
Freshman Anita Gahir opened her round with five pars and one bogey, but she then struggled to close out her first nine with a triple-bogey, a double-bogey and a bogey on the final three holes for a seven-over 43 on the back. After three more bogies on the front nine, Gahir regrouped and birdied her final hole for a 38 and a total of 81. She is tied for 104th place entering the second round.
Rounding out the Hoosier lineup was freshman Kellye Belcher, who is tied for 119th place with a total of 84 after the opening round. Belcher struggled on her opening nine, recording two double-bogies and three bogies, but she closed the nine with a birdie for a six-over total of 42. She matched that on the front nine to wrap up her first round of NCAA Championship play.
Southern California stands on top of the leaderboard after the first round with a team total of 295. They are followed by North Carolina and Louisville in a share of second at 297, while Stanford is fourth at 299 and Duke is one stroke behind that in fifth with a team total of 300. Individually, Selanee' Henderson of UC Irvine carded a three-under 69 to hold onto a one-stroke lead after the first round, and she is closely followed by Amanda Blumenherst of Duke and Lauren Todd of Stanford, who are tied for second with 70's.
The Hoosiers will continue play at the NCAA Championships on Wednesday, May 23. Tee times for IU will
Players Mentioned
