NINETY SIX, S.C. – The High Point University women’s golf team improved three spots with a combined second-round score of 307 at the Big South Championship presented by Musco Sports Lighting at the Patriot Golf Club in Ninety-Six, S.C. Senior Jessica Neese shaved nine strokes off her score from the first round and fired a 75 to pace the Panthers on Monday.
“Yesterday we didn’t do a very good job of sticking to the game plan,” said head coach Vici Pate Flesher. “We did fine on the front nine but just didn’t make adjustments on the back nine. The biggest difference today was we did a lot better on the back nine. I thought the hole placements were harder today but the girls were more aggressive. Jessica played a really solid round with a lot of two-puts. Grier Bennett was really disappointed with herself yesterday and played much better today.”
High Point moved from ninth to sixth in the second round of the conference tournament. HPU has a two-day score of 628 after shedding 14 strokes off its score from the first round (321).
The Panthers jumped past Radford, Presbyterian College and Winthrop on Monday.
Neese turned in an impressive three-over 75 in the second round after carding an 84 in round one to give her a two-round score of 159 and put her in a tie for 28th overall. Between holes four and 11, Neese shot par on eight straight holes.
Sophomore Grier Bennett also improved nine strokes from her 86 on Sunday and turned in a 77 to put her in a tie for 36th overall with a 36-hole score of 163. Bennett shot par in the final eight holes on Monday.
Freshman Tan Cheeranont is just outside the top ten with a two-day score of 153 (76-77) in a tie for 12th place. Senior Audra McShane dropped three strokes and is in a tie for 28th overall with a two-round 159 (81-78)
Freshman Casey Ward rounds out the Panther five and is tied for 31st overall after posting an 81 to follow up her 80 from the first round, giving her a two-day tally of 161.
Coastal Carolina is the overall leader after two rounds with a combined score of 588 (292-296). Two Chanticleers, Brittany Henderson and Lena Schaeffner, are tied for the individual lead. They have each carded a 144 through two rounds.
The third and final round of the 2013 Big South Championship will be played on Tuesday.