Tubert fourth, Arkansas sixth at Liz
ATHENS, Ga. – University of Arkansas freshman Emily Tubert carded an even par 72 leading the No. 12 Razorbacks to a tie for sixth place after first round action at the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic in Athens, Ga., Friday.
Tubert, a Burbank, Calif., native, and the Razorbacks are taking part in a new format for this weekend’s event at the UGA Golf Course. All five players will play in a group, promoting the team element of college golf and giving each player’s score a chance to count for each hole. Each team’s score for each hole was determined by the low four scores on that hole.
This is a variation from the traditional format of three players from different teams having a tee time and playing together.
"This was definitely a day to get your feet wet with this golf course and this format," Arkansas head coach Shauna Estes-Taylor said. "It was a little awkward in the beginning to play with your teammates but we started to get more comfortable as the round went one. Four of our five birdied the last hole and it’s amazing how much of a jump that can provide."
Tubert is two strokes off the lead trailing Aleja Cangrejo of Duke and Hannah Thomson of Florida State who carded a one-under 70 Friday.
Tubert’s round had four birdies and four bogeys and she was one-over on holes one through nine and one-under on 10-18.
"Emily was solid again today," Estes-Taylor said. "She fought back hard for an even par. She had a rough start but I think a lot of that has to do with the format."
Redshirt freshman Emma Lavy is tied for 30th shooting a four-over 76. Senior Kelli Shean is tied for 59th with a 79 while senior Corinna Rees and sophomore Victoria Vela are tied for 86th overall with rounds of 80.
As a team, the Razorbacks counted a 294, lower than the 308 it would have scored in the traditional format. Fifth-ranked Purdue leads the tournament with a 284, followed by No. 2 Alabama with 286, No. 4 Duke and No. 13 Georgia with 291 and No. 30 Florida State in fifth with 293. Arkansas is tied for sixth with No. 18 Auburn, No. 7 Virginia and No. 16 Wake Forest with 294, followed by Kennesaw State and No. 25 Oklahoma tied for 10th with 296.
The rest of the field includes No. 22 Michigan State and No. 38 South Carolina tied with 296, No. 21 North Carolina with 297, No. 28 Florida and No. 29 Ohio State with 300, No. 26 Notre Dame with 302, No. 6 LSU with 303, Furman with 304, No. 33 Kent State with 306, Kentucky with 307 and No. 32 Chattanooga and Georgia State with 311.
Play continues with this format through Sunday.
"We are going to go over a few little adjustments that we can make before tomorrow and get ready to go," Estes-Taylor said. "We have a pretty big cheering section in place and we are ready to climb up the leaderboard."
