ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Paced by sophomore Jessica Rathbone's opening round even-par 72, the Anderson women's golf team is bidding for its second win of the season, as the Trojans are in first place following opening-round action, Monday at the 19th Annual Flagler Fall Slam.
The Saints are hosting the 36-hole tournament on a par 72, 6062-yard Marsh Creek Country Club layout.
"I was really proud of our ladies today," said Anderson Director of Golf Danny Neal. "On a course with really firm greens and a bit of Florida wind, they were able to shoot a sub-300 round. And to be ahead of some really good teams after the first round is encouraging. Jess (Rathbone) was especially good today - finishing at even par and being tied for the individual lead. Victoria (Hall) also played well and Anna at 13th and Kennedy at 17th constitutes a good start for us. Hopefully, we can play well again tomorrow and have an opportunity to get our second win. But with a few good teams right behind us, it will take a really good effort."
The seventh-ranked Trojans, who are looking for their highest finish in St. Augustine in nine appearances after finishing third last year, lead Seminole State by four shots and nationally second-ranked Limestone by five. Lenoir-Rhyne, which was receiving votes in the latest Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) National Poll, was two strokes further back in fourth place. Flagler holds the fifth spot, with Mount Olive and Embry-Riddle in sixth and seventh place, respectively.
Columbus State and Palm Beach Atlantic are deadlocked in eighth place, with Tusculum in the 10th slot. Carson-Newman, Eckerd, Queens, Eastern Florida State, Montevallo, Emmanuel, Catawba and Barton rounded out the 18-team field.
Rathbone offset three bogeys with three birdies and matched her fourth-best round of the season with her even-par effort. The Montpelier, Va., native is tied for first place, alongside Limestone's Stina Wikstrom, with the duo leading four other players by one shot.
Senior Victoria Hall carded three birdies on the day and is alone in seventh place after firing a 2-over-par 74. Anna Freeman got off to a hot start, with the Aiken native notching four birdies, including three of the first four holes - the par-4 first, the par-5 third and the par-3 fourth – en route to a 3-over par 75 on the day – with the senior sitting in a tie for 13th place.
Freshman Kennedy McGaha fired a 5-over 77 and is tied for 17th, with junior Emma Charles sharing 51st place after carding an opening-round 10-over 82.
The final round is scheduled to get underway on Tuesday morning.
NOTABLES
• The Trojans also won the Patsy Rendleman Invitational earlier this fall.
• Rathbone is bidding for her first outright individual title of the season after finishing in a tie for first at the South Region Preview in mid-September.
• In addition to the Trojans, the field includes six other teams from the South Atlantic Conference.
1 Anderson 299
T1 Jessica Rathbone 72
7 Victoria Hall 74
T13 Anna Freeman 76
T17 Kennedy McGaha 77
T51 Emma Charles 82
1 Team Scores
1 Anderson 299 +11
2 Seminole State 303 +15
3 Limestone 304 +16
4 Lenoir-Rhyne 306 +18
5 Flagler 311 +23
6 Mount Olive 315 +27
7 Embry-Riddle 316 +28
T8 Palm Beach Atl. 319 +31
T8 Columbus State 319 +31
10 Tusculum 320 +32
11 Carson-Newman 321 +33
12 Eckerd 324 +36
13 Queens 326 +38
14 Eastern Fla St. 329 +41
15 Montevallo 337 +49
16 Emmanuel 343 +55
17 Catawba 345 +57
18 Barton 373 +85
