May 20, 2003
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Host Purdue is tied for seventh place after the first 18 holes of the 2003 NCAA Championships, played Tuesday at the Pete Dye-designed Kampen Golf Course. The 20th-ranked Boilermakers shot a 316 (+28).
No. 3 USC currently is in the lead with a 305, followed by No. 2 Oklahoma State (308) and No. 17 Ohio State (309). Defending champion Duke is tied for 11th (318).
Kari Damron set the pace for Purdue. The senior carded a two-over-par 74 for her fifth-best round this year.
Damron had an up-and-down day. She started with a par on the 10th hole, but then bogeyed 11 and 12. She birdied 13, double-bogeyed 14, then shot par on 15.
Damron turned things around in a big way with an eagle on the par-5, 497-yard 16th hole. Damron's eagle was the only one turned in by the 126-player field on Tuesday.
Through her final 11 holes, Damron shot three pars, while suffering two bogeys and one double-bogey.
Despite the seesaw round, Damron was proud of her finish.
"I stuck with it today and didn't let myself get down," Damron said.
Purdue head coach Devon Brouse was pleased with Damron's effort.
"Kari played great," Brouse said. "A 74 in these conditions is pretty good. We've got to get her some support tomorrow."
The support to which Brouse referred must come from the four remaining Boilermakers, who all shot 80 or higher on the first day. Senior Heather Suhr shot an eight-over-par 80, finishing the day in a tie for 47th. Senior Heather Zielinski and Onnarin Sattayabanphot both were one shot behind Suhr, and head into the second round tied for 64th. Junior Beth Hermes is in a tie for 113th after shooting an 86.
The Boilermakers had a slight benefit of an afternoon tee time. Purdue teed off just before 2 p.m., and enjoyed the sun that never appeared for the morning group. The temperature at the morning tee off was 63 degrees; when play finished at 7:30 p.m., the temperature was 60. The low of the day was 55, and the wind was steady.
Complete results and tee times can be found at www.purduesports.com or www.golfstat.com.
Purdue Scoring Day OneT3 Kari Damron 74T47 Heather Suhr 80T64 Onnarin Sattayabanphot 81T64 Heather Zielinski 81T113 Beth Hermes 86T7 TEAM 316 (+28)