ATHENS, Ga. – Saturday is usually known as "Moving Day," and Purdue Women's Golf did just that with the second-lowest round at the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic. The Boilermakers fired a 3-under 285, a 13-stroke improvement from their opening round, to soar up the leaderboard from 10th into a tie for fourth with 18 holes remaining.
Competing in a tournament that features five teams ranked Top 25 nationally, Purdue produced one of only three under-par rounds on the University of Georgia Golf Course Saturday, just one stroke behind No. 4 South Carolina's 284 (-4). Momo Sugiyama (69), Ashley Kozlowski (70) and Kan Bunnabodee (71) all finished in red figures on the par 72 track.
Sugiyama's 3-under par day was her team-leading fifth round in the 60s this season. Beginning on the back nine, the sophomore rattled off six straight pars before making three birdies in-a-row to finish the side. Another birdie at the par-4 second moved Sugiyama to 4-under on her round, but her first mistakes of the day occurred with bogeys at Nos. 4 and 6. She got one shot back at the eighth, her fifth birdie throughout her round and the second on a par 3. With a par at the ninth, Sugiyama broke 70 once again.
One major part of Kozlowski going under par was her fourth eagle of the year. She birdied the par-5 12th, gave the shot back on the next hole, and dropped the eagle putt on the par-5 17th. The Littleton, Colorado, native maintained red figures with seven pars on the front side to go along with another birdie and bogey.
Bunnabodee shaved six strokes off her opening round with her 1-under par 71. Bouncing back from a bogey on her opening hole, the senior birdied the 14th and 18th before making the turn. Just like Kozlowski, Bunnabodee made a birdie and a bogey through her final nine holes to go along with seven pars.
Danielle du Toit contributed to the team score, carding a 75 (+3). She drained three birdies throughout her round, but a triple bogey and a double bogey prevented the Purdue senior from adding another under-par round for the Boilermakers.
Purdue looks to take momentum from Saturday into Sunday's final round, continuing to climb the leaderboard. All 15 teams tee off at 8:30 a.m. ET via a shotgun start.
For updates throughout the remainder of the tournament, follow Purdue Women's Golf on Twitter @PurdueWGolf.
BOILERMAKERS
T5. Momo Sugiyama: 73-69—142 (-2)
T22. Ashley Kozlowski: 77-70—147 (+3)
T31. Kan Bunnabodee: 77-71—148 (+4)
T31. Danielle du Toit: 73-75—148 (+4)
T66. Jocelyn Bruch: 75-79—154 (+10)
TEAM LEADERBOARD
1. #10 Auburn: 277-286—563 (-13)
2. #4 South Carolina: 290-284—574 (-2)
3. #21 Florida: 288-293—581 (+5)
T4. Purdue: 298-285—583 (+7)
T4. North Carolina: 295-288—583 (+7)
T6. #19 Virginia: 289-297—586 (+10)
T6. Georgia: 294-292—586 (+10)
T6. Louisville: 295-291—586 (+10)
9. #9 Texas A&M: 298-291—589 (+13)
10. Arkansas: 297-284—591 (+15)
11. College of Charleston: 298-297—595 (+14)
12. Alabama: 294-305—599 (+23)
13. Georgia Southern: 305-306—611 (+35)
14. San Diego State: 307-306—613 (+37)
15. Daytona State: 320-313—633 (+57)
Competing in a tournament that features five teams ranked Top 25 nationally, Purdue produced one of only three under-par rounds on the University of Georgia Golf Course Saturday, just one stroke behind No. 4 South Carolina's 284 (-4). Momo Sugiyama (69), Ashley Kozlowski (70) and Kan Bunnabodee (71) all finished in red figures on the par 72 track.
Sugiyama's 3-under par day was her team-leading fifth round in the 60s this season. Beginning on the back nine, the sophomore rattled off six straight pars before making three birdies in-a-row to finish the side. Another birdie at the par-4 second moved Sugiyama to 4-under on her round, but her first mistakes of the day occurred with bogeys at Nos. 4 and 6. She got one shot back at the eighth, her fifth birdie throughout her round and the second on a par 3. With a par at the ninth, Sugiyama broke 70 once again.
One major part of Kozlowski going under par was her fourth eagle of the year. She birdied the par-5 12th, gave the shot back on the next hole, and dropped the eagle putt on the par-5 17th. The Littleton, Colorado, native maintained red figures with seven pars on the front side to go along with another birdie and bogey.
Bunnabodee shaved six strokes off her opening round with her 1-under par 71. Bouncing back from a bogey on her opening hole, the senior birdied the 14th and 18th before making the turn. Just like Kozlowski, Bunnabodee made a birdie and a bogey through her final nine holes to go along with seven pars.
Danielle du Toit contributed to the team score, carding a 75 (+3). She drained three birdies throughout her round, but a triple bogey and a double bogey prevented the Purdue senior from adding another under-par round for the Boilermakers.
Purdue looks to take momentum from Saturday into Sunday's final round, continuing to climb the leaderboard. All 15 teams tee off at 8:30 a.m. ET via a shotgun start.
For updates throughout the remainder of the tournament, follow Purdue Women's Golf on Twitter @PurdueWGolf.
BOILERMAKERS
T5. Momo Sugiyama: 73-69—142 (-2)
T22. Ashley Kozlowski: 77-70—147 (+3)
T31. Kan Bunnabodee: 77-71—148 (+4)
T31. Danielle du Toit: 73-75—148 (+4)
T66. Jocelyn Bruch: 75-79—154 (+10)
TEAM LEADERBOARD
1. #10 Auburn: 277-286—563 (-13)
2. #4 South Carolina: 290-284—574 (-2)
3. #21 Florida: 288-293—581 (+5)
T4. Purdue: 298-285—583 (+7)
T4. North Carolina: 295-288—583 (+7)
T6. #19 Virginia: 289-297—586 (+10)
T6. Georgia: 294-292—586 (+10)
T6. Louisville: 295-291—586 (+10)
9. #9 Texas A&M: 298-291—589 (+13)
10. Arkansas: 297-284—591 (+15)
11. College of Charleston: 298-297—595 (+14)
12. Alabama: 294-305—599 (+23)
13. Georgia Southern: 305-306—611 (+35)
14. San Diego State: 307-306—613 (+37)
15. Daytona State: 320-313—633 (+57)