Creed and Smith in running; UNCG tied for fourth after first day at SoCon

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – Erica Creed and Lauren Smith both fired opening round scores of 77 to help UNC Greensboro to a tie for fourth place after the opening round at the Southern Conference Women’s Golf Championship at Moss Creek GC.
 
Smith overcame a triple-bogey seven to shoot five-over par for the day. After going out in 38, she had a seven on the par-4 No. 12. However, she closed the round with birdies on Nos. 17 and 18 to pull into the Top 10 heading into Monday’s second round.

Creed pulled it together on the back side of the course after closing the front nine with a double-bogey on No. 8 and a bogey on No. 9 for a 40. But she had eight pars – including seven straight to close the round – on the back side for a 37.

Furman sophomore Jackie Hilea fired an opening-round even par 72 to take the lead. The Paladins, the defending champions, had all five of their competitors in the top 16 to take a five-stroke lead entering the second day of competition. Furman is at 303.

Elon, which shot a team-total 308, is just five strokes off the lead. The Phoenix were led by senior Danielle Mills, who carded a 73 to sit one shot off the lead. Elon’s Tara McFadden is third two shots back.

Furman’s Blair Lamb, the 2007 SoCon Champion, and the Paladins’ Stefanie Kenoyer, the 2008 SoCon Champion, sit in a tie for sixth after day one with a four-over 76.  

Tying for fourth in the team standings were UNC Greensboro (319, +31) and Chattanooga (319, +31) while College of Charleston (324, +36) and Appalachian State (324, +36) tied for sixth. Rounding out the standings were Western Carolina (326, +38), Wofford (327, +39) and The Citadel (354, +66). 

Monday’s second round gets underway at 8 am with tee times. UNCG’s groupings will being with the 9:20 am threesome.

AGATE

TEAM SCORING: Furman 303, Elon 308, Samford 317, UNCG 319, Chattanooga 319,  College of Charleston 324, Appalachian State 324, Western Carolina 326, Wofford 327, The Citadel 354.

INDIVIDUAL SCORING

Top 10: 1. Jackie Hilea (Furman) 72; 2. Danielle Mills (Elon) 73; 3. Tara McFadden (Elon) 74; T-4. Katelyn Stanier (Samford) 75; T-4. Erin Wells (Wofford) 75; T-6. Maria Salinas (Chattanooga) 76; T-6. Blair Lamb (Furman) 76; T-6. Stefanie Kenoyer (Furman) 76; T-9. Sara Hunt (Samford) 77; T-9. Josefine Sundh (Western Carolina) 77; T-9. Lauren Smith (UNCG) 77; T-9. Erica Creed (UNCG) 77.

Other UNCG Golfers: T-25. Ashley Parrott 82, T-32. Sofia Aidemark 83, T-32. Annelie Weimenhog 83.

- UNCG -