April 3, 2009
TEMPE, Ariz. - The ninth-ranked Purdue women's golf team fired an opening round score of 293 (+5) to take a one stroke lead over a talent-laden field at the 2009 Ping/ASU Invitational. Senior Maria Hernandez opened with an even-par 72 and will begin the second round in a tie for third place, two strokes behind New Mexico's Jodi Ewart and USC's Jennifer Song.
The two-time first team All-American began play from the 10th hole and carded a one-under par back-nine after knocking in a birdie on the second hole of her round. Hernandez went on to wipe away back-to-back bogeys on the front nine with a birdie on No. 5 to finish at even-par. The Pamplona, Spain, native will tee off from the first hole at 11:52 a.m. ET tomorrow.
Sophomore Junthima Gulyanamitta sits just one stroke behind Hernandez in a tie for eighth with a first round score of one-over par 73. The Muang Rayong, Thailand, native tapped in five birdies throughout her round but was slowed down by back-to-back bogeys on the seventh and eighth holes. Gulyanamitta tees off at 11:44 a.m. ET tomorrow.
Freshman Vaishavi Sinha and sophomore Thea Hoffmeister will begin their second round in a tie for 20th after both golfers carded an opening round 74 (+2). Sinha climbed to as low as two-under with only four holes to play after tapping in birdies on the fourth, fifth and 13th holes, but slipped back above par after bogeying her final four holes. Hoffmeister, a native of Berlin, Germany, knocked in birdies on No. 15 and 16.
Sophomore Maude-Aimee LeBlanc shot a seven-over par 79, landing her in a tie for 67th.
The Boilermakers are trailed by the top-four teams in the latest Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index: Arizona State (294, +6), UCLA (297, +9), USC (297, +9) and Oklahoma State (297, +9).
The 54-hole event is being hosted by top-ranked Arizona State at the 6,230-yard par-72 ASU Karsten Golf Course in Tempe, Ariz.
Tee times for tomorrow's second round will begin at 10 a.m. ET.
Live scoring will be available for all three rounds at golfstat.com.. Recaps and results will be posted at purduesports.com at the conclusion of each day.