May 8, 2008
The 20th-ranked University of New Mexico women’s golf team is in 10th place after the first round of the NCAA East Regional being played at the University of Georgia Golf Course in Athens, Ga. Complete results and live scoring are available at www.golfstat.com.
The top 8 teams and top two individuals not on the qualifying teams will advance to the NCAA Championships later this month in Albuquerque. The UNM Championship Course is playing host to the finals May 20-23.
UNM enters Friday’s second round six strokes from the eighth spot held by Wake Forest. The Lobos shot a 16-over 304 on the par 72, 6,335-yard course. They are 19 strokes behind first-round leader Duke. The top-ranked Blue Devils were the only team to break far, finishing at 3-under 285.
Second-round play for New Mexico begins Friday at 10:30 a.m. MDT. The Lobos are paired with Vanderbilt and Virginia. The 54-hole event concludes Saturday.
Senior Alexandra Phelps, who entered the tournament as the Lobos’ No. 5 golfer, posted the team’s best round of the day. Phelps fired a 1-under 71, her best score in 11 NCAA postseason rounds. The Albuquerque native was 3-under after an eagle 3 at No. 8. Phelps is tied for 8th place in the individual standings.
Sophomores Jodi Ewart and Britney Choy each shot 4-over 76. Choy had a wild round with four pars, five birdies and nine bogeys. She finished strong, however, with birdies at 16 and 17.
Junior Morgan Grantham carded an 81. Her undoing was a quadruple bogey 8 on the par 4 11th hole.
Junior Mikaela Backstedt had three double bogeys on the front nine, going out in 42. She finished with an 82.
Louisville’s Sara-Maude Juneau fired a 5-under 67 to claim the individual lead.