Reigning Atlantic Coast Conference champion Duke made a
strong opening statement with a 5-under-par 283 to take a one-shot lead Friday
over a loaded field gathered for the Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invitational at the
University of North Carolina’s Finley Golf Course in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Sophomore Brynn Walker, a two-time PIAA Class AAA champion
at Radnor, jump-started a back-nine rally by host North Carolina with an eagle
at 13 on her way to a 1-under 71 over the 6,379-yard, par-72 Tom Fazio design
at Finley as the Tar Heels battled to a tie for seventh with ACC rival Wake
Forest at 1-over 289.
South Carolina was a shot behind Duke in second at 4-under
284 and a powerful Alabama team was another shot back in third at 3-under 285. North
Carolina State is fourth at 2-under 286.
Arkansas, ranked No. 1 by Golfweek, has been the hottest team in the country this fall and is
tied for fifth with Louisville at even-par 288. North Carolina and Wake were
next in the tie for seventh in the 18-team field.
But Duke is ahead of the pack, led by two-time Annika Award
winner Leona Maguire, a senior from Ireland who carded a 3-under 69 and is tied
for third, three shots behind individual co-leaders Jennifer Kupcho, the Wake
Forest junior from Westminster, Colo., and Molly Skapik, the Louisville senior
from Miamisburg, Ohio.
Maguire is the No. 1 player in the Women’s World Amateur
Golf Ranking. This time a year ago, it seemed almost a certainty that she would
turn pro in the middle of her junior year. But Maguire decided to finish out
her career at Duke, a decision well thought out, and might be a more relaxed
golfer then she was last fall.
The Blue Devils also got a pair of 1-under 71s from Miranda
Wang, a redshirt freshman from China, and Virginia Elena Carta, the
junior from Italy who was the 2016 NCAA champion and runnerup in the 2016 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Rolling Green Golf Club.
Thailand’s Jaravee Boonchant, one of the many talented
freshmen around the country, rounded out the counters for Duke with an even-par
72. The Blue Devils had the luxury of tossing a 1-over 73 from Anna Belac, a
sophomore from Slovenia.
North Carolina has a pretty talented freshman in Ava Bergner
of Germany. She’s been the Tar Heels’ best player this fall and she was again
Friday with a 2-under 70 that left her among six players tied for seventh.
Walker’s 71 left her in a group tied for 13th.
Bryana Nguyen, a senior from Columbia, Md., and Kelly Whaley, a junior from
Farmington, Conn., each added a 2-over 74 for North Carolina, which left them
in a group tied for 41st. Mariana Ocano, a sophomore from St.
Petersburg, Fla., is tied for 92nd after posting an 81.
North Carolina coach Jan Mann will also get a look at some
of the other contenders for the Tar Heels’ five this season as she sent out
three players competing as individuals.
Roshnee Sharma, a sophomore from Charlotte, N.C., carded a
solid 1-over 73 and is tied for 34th. Cheni Xu, a junior from China,
had an 80 that left her tied for 86th and Clementian Rodriguez, a
junior from Venezuela, joined Ocano in the group tied for 92nd with
an 81.
Kupcho, who looked like the winner of the NCAA Championship
until her approach at the 17th hole in the final round at Rich Harvest Farms found the
water, continued her strong play as she grabbed a share of the top spot in the
individual standings with an efficient 6-under 66. Louisville’s Skapik joined
Kupcho, No. 2 in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking, as she matched the
Wake Forest standout’s 66.
Joining Duke’s Maguire in the group tied for third at
3-under 69 was a talented trio that includes North Carolina State’s India Clyburn,
a junior from England, Wake Forest’s Emilia Migliaccio, another member of the
nation’s talented freshman class out of Cary, N.C., and Michigan State’s Sarah
Burnham, a senior from Maple Grove,
Minn. with a proven ability to take it low.
Joining North Carolina’s Bergner at 2-under 70 is a talented
group that includes Virginia’s Anna Redding, a junior from Concord, N.C.,
Arkansas’ Alan Uriell, a senior from Carlsbad, Calif., South Carolina’s Ainhoa
Olarra, a senior from Spain, Iowa’s Kristin Glesne, a junior from San Antonio,
Texas, and Alabama’s Lakareber Abe, a senior from Angleton, Texas.
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