Tubert goes low, Razorbacks move
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – University of Arkansas freshman Emily Tubert posted the lowest round of the tournament shooting 69 and vaulting up the leaderboard at the 2011 NCAA Women’s Golf Central Regional in South Bend, Ind., Friday.
Tubert, a Burbank, Calif., native, was three-under on the day and moved from a tie for 26th after her first round into the lead after Saturday’s play.
The No. 11 Razorbacks also made a move jumping from 12th place Thursday to the critical eighth spot shooting a second-round 303 to pair with 307 for 610. The top eight teams from each of the three regional sites advance to the NCAA Championship later this month.
"Emily is hitting it so solidly and if she could just get the right read on her putts she could go as low as she wants to," Arkansas head coach Shauna Estes-Taylor said. "She is managing her game well and I think having played her in the past is helpful. She did a good job of getting around this golf course today."
Tubert and the Razorbacks opened the day in the second flight of teams as competitors flip-flopped from the first round. She picked up three pars starting on one and got the first of four consecutive birdies with an eagle on the par three fourth hole. She moved to four under by the seventh hole and had the clubhouse talking.
Tubert turned with a 32 but picked up bogies on 10 and 12 sliding to two under. She got back on track with pars on 13 and 14 and counted the fifth of five birdies on 15 to finish three under for the round. Tubert is in the clubhouse with a 144 (75-69) and a one stroke lead over the field.
Shean was tied for third after her first round but got out to a tough start in the second round. She finished with a 79 for a 151 (72-79) and is tied for 21st overall.
Fellow senior Corinna Rees moved into a tie for 56th overall with a second round 78 for 156 (78-78). Sophomore Victoria Vela moved up to a tie for 80th with a 77 for 159 (82-77) and redshirt freshman Emma Lavy is tied for 99th overall at 162 (82-80).
"It was really tough today and it was very windy," Estes-Taylor said. "The afternoon wave got the toughest conditions of the day. We started off a little slow again. Emily is probably the exception with her four birdies in the middle of the front nine. But we held it together coming down the stretch. Kelli made a nice birdie on 18 and got it in the house. We’re right where we need to be. We’re not looking at eighth place but looking to climb. We want to focus on us and our game plan."
Second-ranked UCLA continues to lead the field with a two-day 592. They have a six-stroke edge over No. 39 Minnesota and No. 8 LSU who are tied for second with 598. Host and No. 27 Notre Dame is fourth with 603, followed by No. 30 Ohio State with 607, No. 40 Northwestern and No. 24 Stanford are tied for sixth 608, just two strokes ahead of the Razorbacks.
Arkansas is two better than No. 35 Chattanooga who is in the clubhouse with 612. The top 15 include No. 17 Texas with 613, No. 32 Kent State and No. 14 Tulane tied for 11th with 615, No. 5 Duke and No. 15 Wake Forest in a tie for 13th with 616 and Wisconsin at 15th with 619.
Final round action begins at 9 a.m. central with the Razorbacks playing with Stanford and Chattanooga. Lavy has the first tee time followed by Vela, Rees, Shean and Tubert.
