Lewis leads Lady'Backs in the second round

Jump to agate TUNICA, Miss. – The 21st-ranked University of Arkansas women’s golf team opened the second round of the 2005 Southeastern Conference Championship teeing off from the first hole at 8:30 a.m., and struggled through the first nine Saturday in Tunica, Miss. Arkansas found itself 11 over as a team on the front nine starting the day in a hole. But the Lady Razorbacks dug themselves out remaining in the middle of the pack and fifth place overall with a second-day 309 (301-309=610). “It was a tough day today,” said Arkansas head coach Kelley Hester. “It’s hard to really identify anything in particular that went wrong but we didn’t rebound as quickly as I would have liked today. Overall, it was just a tough day. I don’t think we killed ourselves but we didn’t play our best golf today. We didn’t take advantage of some of our opportunities today.” Redshirt freshman Stacy Lewis continues to lead Arkansas. The Woodlands, Texas, native posted a plus-three 75 today and is tied with four other players for fourth overall with a 147 (72-75). Lewis was one over through the first nine holes and picked up two more strokes on the back nine with bogies on 13, 15 and 18 throwing in a birdie on the par-five 14th hole. Junior El Dorado, Ark., native finds herself tied for 19th overall with a second-day 78 (74-78) putting her at 152 for the tournament. McCurdy had a solid start to the day playing the front nine at one-over but ran into trouble on 11 and 12 with a double followed by a triple to finish the day six over. Senior Hot Springs, Ark., native Gena Johnson, one of two Lady’Backs to better her first round score, counted a 77 dropping two strokes from her previous day’s total. Johnson is tied for 26th overall with a 156 (79-77) was just plus-one through the first nine but slowed a bit as the temperatures rose into the low 80s as the round wore on. The greens dried out and there was almost no wind for today’s competition. Junior Courtney Mahon is also tied at 26 with a 156 (76-80) but struggled today with an 80. The Topeka, Kan., native was plus-nine through the first nine holes but rallied to finish with a one-under back nine. Junior Lindsey Hinshaw also bettered her first round score counting a 79 for Arkansas. Hinshaw, like the rest of the team, struggled in the opening nine holes and was eight over but rebounded on the second nine with a one-under coming in. Third-ranked Auburn leads the field carding a 14-over 302 for a 593 (291-302). Tenth-ranked LSU is second with a 596 (303-293) including the low round for the day with a 293. Georgia (301-302) and Tennessee (299-304) are tied for third with 603 followed by Arkansas at 610. Florida (304-307) is sixth overall with a 611, with South Carolina (313-301) seventh counting a 614. Alabama is currently in eighth place with a 619, followed by Kentucky (624), Vanderbilt (624), Mississippi State (642) and Mississippi (649) rounding out the field. Play concludes Sunday with an 8:30 a.m., start on hole one. For more information about Arkansas golf log on to LADYBACKS.COM.