Tide Women?s Golfers in Second at SEC Championship
4/20/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
WEST POINT, Miss. ?? The Alabama women's golf team, one of the hottest teams in the league coming into this weekend's Southeastern Conference championship, continued to ride that momentum in the first round of the event, as the Tide ended the day in second place at the Old Waverly Golf Course in West Point, Miss.
"We just did what we have been doing all spring," UA head coach Mic Potter said. "We stayed consistent throughout the day, didn't make too many mistakes and played some good shots. But we can't get too excited about today, we have to keep doing those things all weekend. This team has been great about keeping that mental attitude, not worrying about the past or future and playing each shot as it comes. That's what we need to continue."
Competing in one of the nation's most difficult leagues and a field featuring five teams in the top 10 and nine of the nation's top 30 squads, the Tide rode a 291 in the first round to earn the runner-up position after 18 holes of play. That mark was the best for an Alabama team at the SEC Championship and tied for the third-best 18-hole score in school history.
The Tide stands six shots off of the pace set by third-ranked Georgia, who carded a 285. Tennessee, ranked 10th in the nation, shot a 292 and is in third place, with LSU and South Carolina in fourth and fifth place after rounds of 294 and 295, respectively.
"There are some tricky holes out there," Potter said. "We were able to avoid trouble on the 11th, 15th and 18th, holes that make you really think about your drives. We didn't make any big mistakes on those and stayed out of trouble for the most part."
Alabama was paced by true freshman Helena Blomberg, who continued to demonstrate the marked improvement she has made over the second half of her initial collegiate season.
"Helena picked up right where she left off in her last event," Potter said. "She drove the ball pretty well today and avoided any big trouble. She could have gone even lower, but she missed a few putts inside of 15-feet. Her mental make-up is just what you want it to be and her demeanor is so consistent. It doesn't surprise me that she played as well as she did."
Blomberg, who tied for sixth place at her team's most recent outing at the Liz Murphey Intercollegiate in late March, set another career mark in her first SEC Championship by firing a 3-under 69. She tallied four birdies and just one bogey on the afternoon and stands in a tie for third place on the individual leader board.
Georgia's Garrett Phillips leads the individual race after shooting a 5-under 67. Marci Turner of Tennessee stands in second place after carding a 68, one stroke better than Blomberg and Taylor Leon of Georgia.
In addition to setting a season and career low, that score tied Blomberg for the seventh-best round in UA history. She joined teammates Jenny Suh and Sarah Sturm as the only Tide players to shoot rounds below 70 this season.
Sophomore Laura Goodwin put together an even-par 72 for the Tide to equal her lowest single round of the season. Goodwin, who made four birdies on the day, joins Blomberg in the top 10 and is tied for eighth place after 18 holes.
Suh, who struggled a bit earlier in the spring season, came back to form for the Tide in round one of the event, shooting a 2-over 74 to earn a tie for 19th place in the standings. She had bogies and a birdie in her opening round.
Sturm faltered a bit in her last four holes of the day with two bogeys, but still managed to put together a solid 4-over 76 for her team. The junior tallied a birdie to go with five bogies in the opening round.
The Tide's second true freshman, Rhea Nair, finished with a 77 after recording a birdie, four bogies and a double-bogey on the 15th hole. She is in a tie for 40th place in the individual standings.
Second-round play at the SEC Championship is set to begin at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 22. The Tide is set to tee-off at 9:20 a.m. at the Old Waverly Course. Live stats can be tracked at www.golfstat.com and www.RollTide.com.
