Colorado University Athletics
Kerr In 54th At Regionals
May 08, 2003 | Women's Golf
Tempe, Ariz. - Senior Erin Kerr made a late opening round rally, going 1-over-par on the back nine and capitalizing on the mistakes of those in her threesome, to card a 77 at the first day of the NCAA Women's Golf West Regional here on the par-72 Karsten Golf Course Thursday.
UNLV's Sunny Oh and USC's Mikaela Parmlid are blistering the long, 6,256-yard links-type championship course, as both are on top of the leaderboard after firing a 5-under-par 67 today and have just a one-stroke lead over Tanya Dergal (USC) and Kim Welch (Washington State) who are tied for third, each carding 68. USC is leading the team competition as the Trojans combined for a 9-under-par 279 and sit eight strokes ahead of Oklahoma State (288).
Kerr is also capitalizing on playing just 10 minutes from her family's home in Phoenix.
"A lot of my friends from high school and family are here supporting me," said Kerr. "I'm at a definite advantage playing on a course that I'm familiar with, being in my own surroundings, staying at home and sleeping in my own bed."
Kerr's threesome was the first to tee off, and Kerr the third player, at 7:30 this morning to christen the regional round. One of three players competing as individuals, Kerr trailed UC-Irvine's Stella Lee and Nicole Keller of Idaho much of the first round, in part to a double-bogey on the ninth hole after succumbing to the hole's water hazard twice.
"It wasn't too bad being the first group off. Everyone's got to play eventually. I'd rather player early because the winds pick up in the afternoon. Nicole and Stella made a lot of mistakes on the back nine and I just played my game, hit a lot of fairways and greens and really gave myself a lot of chances," said Kerr who was 1-over on the par-37 back nine.
The second and third rounds will tee off Friday and Saturday, respectively. Following Wednesday's practice and today's first round, Kerr knows where she can make up some ground in the individual standings, "I'm a long hitter and on the par-4s, I was using wedges onto the greens and into the holes. My goal is to always be in by 10 feet, but I wasn't hitting them at all today. And I've always struggled with my short game which is 75 percent of golf and that needs to get better."
NCAA WEST REGIONAL (Tempe, Ariz.)
COLORADO PLAYERS ONLY
t-54. Erin Kerr.....77
