SORRENTO, Fla. (February 12, 2011) – The 22nd-ranked Baylor women’s golf team opened its spring season Sunday with a 4-under 284 to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the UCF Challenge. Players opened Sunday’s round with temperatures in the low 30s and a 20 mile-per-hour wind, while afternoon highs topped out at 50 degrees.
Baylor, one of four teams under par through 18 holes, is one stroke up on No. 3 Auburn (285). Augusta State is two strokes back in third at 286, while Tulane is fourth at 1-under 287. No. 27 South Carolina is in fifth place at 2-over 290. Baylor’s 284 is its lowest first-round team score of the season
“We had a really good day Sunday,” first-year head coach Jay Goble said. “The course set up a little easier because of the windier conditions, but our team played solid overall.”
Three Lady Bears finished the first round in the Top 10 on the individual leaderboard. Baylor freshman Hayley Davis, who is ranked No. 25 by Golfstat, owns a share of the individual lead with Auburn’s Victoria Trapani at 4-under 68.
“Hayley’s played super solid again,” Goble said. “She went through some swing changes in the offseason. I’m happy to see her put together a full round together. Her swing change is for the better.
“Hayley had quite a few birdies Sunday and only missed one fairway,” Goble said. “If you do that, it’s hard to play bad.”
Both Stani Schiavone and Valerie Sternebeck are tied for fifth after carding a first-round 71. Freshman Emma Carberry, who is making her Baylor lineup debut in Florida, is tied for 32nd at 2-over 74. After bogeying the first hole, Carberry followed with three birdies over the next five holes. She finished the round with five bogeys, but Goble was very pleased with the freshman’s performance.
“For Emma (Carberry) to shoot 74 and bogey two of the last three holes, she hit the ball exceptionally well,” Goble said. “For it being her first appearance in the lineup, it didn’t show. She’ll be ready to continue playing well Monday.”
Davis (68), Schiavone (71), Sternebeck (71) and Carberry (74) each carded an 18-hole career low. Senior Chelsey Cothran, who is ranked No. 48 by Golfstat, is tied for 71st after carding a 5-over 77.
Second-round play of the 2012 UCF Challenge will tee off at 8:30 a.m. CST Monday. Live scoring will be available at www.GolfStat.com.
UCF CHALLENGE
Team Results
1. (22) BAYLOR 284 -4
2. (3) Auburn 285 -3
3. Augusta State 286 -2
4. Tulane 287 -1
5. (27) South Carolina 290 +2
t6. USF 292 +4
t6. (15) Texas 292 +4
8. (47) UCF 295 +7
9. (37) Kentucky 297 +9
10. UTSA 299 +11
t11. Kennesaw State 300 +12
t11. Memphis 300 +12
13. Miami 301 +13
14. Georgia State 302 +14
15. Coastal Carolina 303 +15
16. Kansas 306 +18
17. Mississippi State 308 +20
18. Minnesota 310 +22
Baylor Individual Results
t1. (25) Hayley Davis 68 -4
t5. Stani Schiavone 71 -1
t5. Valerie Sternebeck 71 -1
t32. Emma Carberry 74 +2
t71. (48) Chelsey Cothran 77 +5
