Kim leads the way as Vanderbilt surges into the lead in UCF Challenge

   Vanderbilt arrived at the UCF Challenge in Orlando, Fla. ranked No. 6 by Golfstat, the highest-ranked team in the field. In Monday’s second round, the Commodores showed why they have such a lofty ranking.

   Led by Auston Kim, a standout freshman from St. Augustine, Fla. who fired a sparkling 6-under-par 66 over the 6,349-yard, par-72 Eagle Creek Golf Club, Vanderbilt posted an 11-under 277 team score to grab a one-shot lead over No. 27 Miami.

   Kim is the younger sister of former Purdue standout August Kim, the Big Ten individual champion in 2016 as a junior who now performs on the Symetra Tour. Her 66, combined with an opening-round 70, left Kim at 8-under 136, a shot behind individual leader Anna Backman, a Miami freshman from Finland, in second place.

   Like Kim, Backman opened with a 2-under 70 and then ripped off the best round of the day, a sizzling 7-under 65, that left her alone atop the individual leaderboard at 9-under 135.

   Vanderbilt had opened with a 5-under 283 Sunday and its 11-under total Monday left the Commodores at 16-under 560. The Hurricanes, who trailed first-round leader Coastal Carolina by a shot with their opening round of 8-under 280, fired a solid 7-under 281 to trail Vanderbilt by a shot at 15-under 561. The tournament wraps up with the final round Tuesday.

   It was another six shots back to No. 37 Kennesaw State in third after it added a 3-under 285 to its opening-round 282 for a 9-under 567 total. Two-time reigning Big Ten champion Michigan State, ranked 30^th, is another shot behind Kennesaw State in fourth at 8-under 568. The Spartans improved two shots from their opening-round 285 with a 5-under 283.

   No. 10 Kent State and No. 20 Purdue are tied for fifth at 7-under 569, a shot behind Michigan State. The Golden Flashes matched par Monday with a 288 after opening with a 7-under 281 while the Boilermakers shaved three shots off their opening-round 286 with a 5-under 283.

   For No. 39 Penn State, it was a little bit of a disappointing day as the Nittany Lions, who opened with a 2-under 286, fell back with a 4-over 292 that left them alone in 12^th in the strong 16-team field at 2-over 578.

   Backing up Kim for Vanderbilt was Courtney Zeng, a senior from Orlando, Fla. playing not far from home who fired a 4-under 68 to join a group of four players tied for fourth in the individual standings at 6-under 138. Zeng opened with a 1-under 71 Sunday.

   Morgan Baxendale, a sophomore from Windermere, Fla., matched par for the second straight day to join the group tied for 34^th at even-par 144. Abbey Carlson, a junior from Lake Mary, Fla., is in the group tied for 45^th at 146, although her second-round 75 was a throw-out.

   The final counter for Vanderbilt Monday came from Louise Yu, a sophomore from Duluth, Ga. who fired a 1-under 71, giving the Commodores four scores of par or better. Combined with her opening-round 76, it left Yu among the group tied for 57^th at 147.

   Miami veteran Renate Grinstad, a junior from Norway, also had a solid second round, her 4-under 68 leaving her alone in third place, two shots behind her teammate Backman in first at 7-under 137. Grinstad was one of nine players tied for eighth following an opening round of 3-under 69.

   Michigan State standout Allyson Geer-Park, a junior from Brighton, Mich., joined Vanderbilt’s Zeng in the group tied for fourth at 6-under 138. Geer-Park was tied for the lead with six other players after an opening-round 68 before adding a 2-under 70 in Monday’s second round.

   Rounding out the foursome at 138 were Purdue’s Micaela Farah, a junior from Peru, and East Carolina’s Dorthea Forbrigd, a junior from Norway. Farah carded a second straight 3-under 69 while Forbrigd fired a 5-under 67 after opening with a 1-under 71.

   Penn State was led by senior standout Jackie Rogowicz, a former Pennsbury standout who has teed it up in the U.S. Women’s Amateur in two of the last three summers. Rogowicz matched par with a 72 Monday after opening with a 3-under 69 and is in the group tied for 12^th at 3-under 141.

   The best Penn State score of the day came from junior Megan McLean, a Voorhees High product who carded a 1-under 71. Combined with an opening-round 72 it left the ever-improving McLean in the group tied for 22nd at 1-under 143.

   Rogowicz’s senior classmate Lauren Waller, the 2014 PIAA Class AAA runnerup as a senior at Canon-McMillan, matched Rogowicz’s even-par 72. Waller opened with a 74 and moved into a tie for 45^th at 2-over 146.

   Penn State’s top player, senior Cara Basso, the Villa Maria Academy product who has won the Women’s Golf Association of Philadelphia Match-Play Championship the last two summers, struggled to a 77 after matching par with a 72 in the opening round and is among the group tied for 70^th at 5-over 149.

   Sarah Willis, a freshman from Eaton, Ohio, posted a 78 in the second round after opening with a 73 and is in the group tied for 78^th at 151.

   Junior Madelein Herr, the 2015 District One Class AAA champion as a senior at Council Rock North, is competing as an individual for Penn State and joined Waller in the group tied for 45h at 2-over 146 after she added a 75 to her opening round of 1-under 71.

   Rounding out the Penn State contingent was Kamerine Taylor, a senior from Dublin, Ohio who is also competing as an individual. Taylor shaved two shots off her opening-round 77 with a 75 and is among the group tied for 83^rd at 152.