Colorado University Athletics
W-Golf Improves To 16th
February 25, 2003 | Women's Golf
Tucson - Erin Kerr carded a 2-over-par 73 as the Buffs shaved six strokes off their first round score to improve to 16th after 36 holes at the Arizona Wildcat Invitational on the Arizona National Golf Course here Tuesday.
Kerr, who was 3-under through 12 holes, double bogeyed the par-4 8th hole then bogeyed #9, but her 73 is still a respectable effort on a challenging desert course and was Colorado's largest first to second round improvement as the senior carded a 78 on Monday and improved from 42nd to a seven-way share of 27th.
"Erin is playing, and hitting the ball, very well," said head coach Anne Kelly.
Pepperdine shot a second round 292 to take over the lead as the Waves have an eight-stroke advantage over Southern California (594), which had the best first to second round improvement with a second round low 286, going from eighth to second. Arizona State (595) is just a single stroke behind the USC, in third.
Erica Blasberg (69-73) of host and third ranked Arizona and Carolina Llano (71-71) of Pepperdine are the individual leaders after 36 holes as the two share a two-day total 142, just three strokes ahead of Monday's leader, Erin Tone (145) of Arizona State.
To say that the competition is fierce would be an understatement as Jolene Fellhauer (79-77-156) improved her game a pair of strokes, but fell in the standings from 47th to 50th. What plagued the Buffs during the fall season, counting high scores, has carried over to the spring as Maria Persson Gulda's (81-83-164) 83 today will count towards the team score and go in the books as her tying her highest round of the 2002-03 season.
"Maria had a good round but had three holes really holes that gave her some problems. This is her first experience on this kind of course and it's taking its toll."
Kelly had to count a second round in the 80s towards the team score as teammates Allison Rella (87-86-173) and Joey Stetser (87-86-173) can't seem to break away from each other as both carded a second round 86 and are both tied for 93rd with a two round total 173. Stetser had to take a 10, which included several penalties, had to take a drop and take an unplayable lie penalty.
"We're definitely playing better than we're scoring, but I think frustration is beginning to settle in. If you hit the ball off line this is not a very forgiving course."
The third, and final, round will be played Wednesday morning with a 7:30 a.m. shotgun start. The Buffs will be in foursomes that include players from Colorado State, BYU and San Jose State.
ARIZONA WILDCAT INVITATIONAL (Tucson, Ariz.) COLORADO PLAYERS t-27. Erin Kerr 78-73- 151 t-50. Jolene Fellhauer 79-77- 156 t-80. Maria Persson Gulda 81-83- 164 t-93. Allison Rella 87-86- 173 t-93. Joey Stetser 87-86- 173 TEAM SCORES 1. Pepperdine 294-292- 586 2. Southern California 308-286- 594 3. Arizona State 290-305- 595 4. Tennessee 307-295- 602 5. UCLA 299-305- 604 5. Vanderbilt 297-307- 604 7. Stanford 315-293- 608 8. New Mexico State 307-302- 609 9. Arizona 297-315- 612 10. Washington 310-306- 616 11. UNLV 317-304- 621 11. Arkansas 314-307- 621 13. Colorado State 313-314- 627 13. BYU 317-310- 627 15. San Jose State 314-321- 635 16. COLORADO 325-319- 644 17. Southern Methodist 320-327- 647 18. Northern Arizona 327-325- 652
