HPU Women’s Golf in Eighth After Day One of Mimosa Hills Intercollegiate

MORGANTON, N.C. – The High Point University women’s golf team shot a combined 320 on Monday and currently sits in eighth place out of 12 teams at the Mimosa Hills Intercollegiate in Morganton, N.C. Senior Jessica Neese turned in the best round of the day with a 77.

“We had some spectacular play out there today, but much of it was on the front nine,” head coach Vici Pate Flesher said. “We just weren’t sharp on the back nine and it slipped away from us. Jess had a very good round today. She didn’t hit the ball as solidly as she normally would, but was able to get up and down for par and save a good round. Tomorrow we will need to play with a lot of heart. We haven’t necessarily shot ourselves out from winning this tournament.”

Neese was the only HPU golfer to break 80 for the round and is currently tied for 11th midway through the two-day competition. Sophomore Grier Bennett is three-strokes back of Neese in a tie for 22nd after carding an 80 through 18 holes.

Freshman Tan Cheeranont shot an 81 and is tied for 29th, one stroke ahead of both senior Audra McShane and freshman Casey Ward, who turned in matching scores of 82 which leaves them tied in 35th.

Host Appalachian State leads the team standings with a combined score of 306. The Mountaineers are just one stroke up on Winthrop, who sits in second with a score of 307. Western Carolina and Wofford are currently tied for third with identical scores of 314 while Presbyterian College is in fifth with a score of 315.

Alexandra Austin of Radford, Yue Xu of Appalachian State and Lauren Smith of Gardner-Webb all shot a one-over 73 in the first round and are currently tied atop the individual standings. The threesome holds a one stroke lead over ASU’s Haley Zagoria, who carded a 74.

The Panthers will return to the Mimosa Hills Golf and Country Club for the second and final round of the Mimosa Hills Intercollegiate on Tuesday, April 2. The round will begin with a shotgun start at 9:30 a.m.