CLEVELAND, Tenn. – Sophomore Emma Charles carded three birdies during Monday's opening round and fired a season-best, even-par 72 to pace the Anderson women's golf team, with the No. 9 Trojans tied for third place, alongside nationally third-ranked Limestone, following first-round action at the NCAA Division II Women's Golf South Region Championship.
The three-day, 54-hole tournament is being hosted by Lee University at the Cleveland (Tenn.) Country Club on a par 72, 5,957-yard layout. Including the Trojans, the nine-team field includes six of the top-10 squads in the nation.
"I was really proud of the way the girls grinded out there today," said Anderson head coach Danny Neal. "We played extremely well on the toughest part of the course (holes 2-6). Unfortunately, we gave a few back on some of the easier holes on the back. However, we are tied for third and excited to compete the next two days for one of those three spots for nationals. I am really proud of Emma Charles. She was close to flawless today minus one hole. I could not have asked for a better start from her. We are looking forward to getting back out there tomorrow."
Fifth-ranked Tampa carded an opening round 297 and leads second-place Lynn – the defending South Region Champion - by seven shots heading into Tuesday's second round. The Trojans and Saints are five strokes further back in third place, with West Georgia holding the fifth slot.
Barry is in sixth place, while Flagler, Florida Southern and Belmont Abbey round out the talent-laden nine-team field
Tampa's Kiira Riihijarvi (66), who is the top-ranked golfer in the nation, offset a pair of bogeys by carding eight birdies on the day and leads Lynn's Helen Kruezer (71) - the defending regional champion and ranked second nationally – by five strokes following Monday's opening round.
Charles is alone in third place after firing her lowest score of the season. The Hartsville native is six strokes behind Riihijarvi and trails Kruezer by just one shot. Wingate's Hailey McLaughlin (73) is one shot further back in fourth place, with Limestone's Lena Schilowsky (74) and West Florida's Solange Gomez (74) sharing fifth place. Four additional golfers, including nationally third-ranked Megan Sabol of North Georgia, are deadlocked in seventh place after posting 3-over 75s on the day.
AU freshman Jessica Rathbone, who is ranked 23rd nationally, eagled the par-5 14th hole en route to a 5-over-77 and is in a four-way tie for 16th. A trio of Trojans who are making their second appearance on the regional stage rounded out the Black and Gold contingent. Senior Anna Freeman is tied for 20th place after posting a 7-over-par 79, with junior Kerington Lamb carding a 9-over 81 and sharing 26th place. Junior Victoria Hall notched an 85 and is tied for 39th entering Tuesday's second round.
Tuesday's second round is slated to get underway at 8 a.m.
T3 Anderson 309
3 Emma Charles 72
T16 Jessica Rathbone 77
T20 Anna Freeman 79
T26 Kerington Lamb 81
T39 Victoria Hall 85
Team Scores
1 Tampa 297 +9
2 Lynn 304 +16
T3 Anderson 309 +21
T3 Limestone 309 +21
5 West Georgia 317 +29
6 Barry 318 +30
7 Flagler 319 +31
8 Florida Southern 324 +36
9 Belmont Abbey 340 +52
