Oct. 12, 2007
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The Purdue women's golf team is in fifth place, just six strokes off the lead with a team score of 291 (+7), in a tightly contested first round at the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championships in Knoxville, Tenn. Purdue was led by freshman Junthima Gulyanamitta who fired a two-under par 69 in the opening round.
Arkansas is in first place by a slim margin, recording a team total of 285 (+1) on Friday. No team managed to finish under par in the first round at the Cherokee Country Club, a winding par-71, 5,932-yard course. Alabama and host Tennessee are tied for second at 288 (+4). Florida is in fourth place with a team score of 289 (+5).
Beating her previous low round as a collegiate golfer by five strokes, Gulyanamitta is in a five-way for second place as an individual. She recorded an eagle on the par-5, 11th hole. Alabama's Kathleen Ekey has a one-stroke lead for first place after firing a 68 in the opening round.
Junior Maria Hernandez is tied for ninth after shooting even-par 71 in the first round. So far this season, Hernandez has shot even par or better in five of her seven rounds played. Junior Christel Boeljon carded a two-over 73 on Monday, recording three birdies on the day that were offset by two bogeys and a triple bogey.
Stephanie Oukeo and Maude-Aimee Leblanc both shot 78s in the first round.
The Boilermakers tee off starting at 9:45 a.m. tomorrow, in the second of three rounds of play. Fans can follow tournament scoring live at golfstat.com and upon completion of the round, the recap and results will be posted on purduesports.com.