March 21, 2009
AUSTIN, Texas - The 12th-ranked Purdue women's golf team will begin the final round of the Betsy Rawls Longhorn Invitational in a tie for first place with a 36-hole score of 578 (+2). Senior Maria Hernandez leads all individuals with a one-stroke lead over Arkansas' Lucy Nunn.
Purdue began Saturday's play in a tie for third, trailing Arizona State by four strokes, but had three golfers record even-par or better scores, leading to a second-round team total of 287 (-1), their second-lowest round this season.
Hernandez began the second round tied for first and used a clean scorecard on Saturday to take sole possession of first place with a two-round total score of 139 (-5). The two-time first team All-American knocked in birdies on the first, fifth and 14th hole, adding up to a second round score of 69 (-3). Hernandez, who won the event in 2007, will tee off tomorrow from a shotgun start on the second hole at 9:45 a.m. ET.
Just two strokes behind Hernandez and in third place is sophomore Maude-Aimee LeBlanc (141, -3). The Sherbrooke, Quebec, native climbed to as low as two-under par in her second round on Saturday, but finished with a second-round score of 71 (-1) after double-bogeying the sixth hole. LeBlanc opened the 54-hole event with a two-under par 70.
Sophomore Junthima Gulyanamitta sits in a tie for 11th with a 36-hole score of 146 (+2). The Muang Rayong, Thailand, native shot an even-par 72 on Saturday to go with an opening round 74 (+2).
Sophomore Thea Hoffmeister (152, +8) is tied for 34th with first and second round scores of 77 (+5) and 75 (+3).
Senior Carolyn Mess shot an opening round 85 (+13) and a second round 81 (+9).
Playing as an individual, freshman Vaishavi Sinha sits at 17-over par (161), shooting an opening round 80 (+8) and second round score of 81 (+9).
The Boilermakers, who won the event in their last appearance in 2007, are tied with the top-ranked team in the nation, Arizona State and are trailed by third place Arkansas (582, +6) and fourth place New Mexico 590 (+14).
The 54-hole event is being hosted by Texas and played at the 6,324-yard, par-72 University of Texas Golf Club. Sunday's final round will start have a shotgun start beginning at 9:45 a.m. ET.
Live scoring for the final round can be found on golfstat.com. A full recap and results will be posted at PurdueSports.com at the conclusion of Sunday's final round.