Connelly in Second Place at NCAA Central Regional
May 09, 2003 | Women's Golf
Senior Katie Connelly led the Badger women's golf team through the first two rounds of the NCAA Regional Championship. She took sole possession of second place among individuals, while shooting career 36 and 18-hole lows and tying Wisconsin's all-time best 36-hole score of 141. The Badgers fell from the fourth position in the first round into eighth place after the second 18 holes.
Connelly carded an even par 71 this morning to put her in a tie for second place. She stayed there by shooting a one-under 70 this afternoon, carding three birdies and only two bogeys and beating her 18-hole career low by one stroke. She tied Wisconsin's 36-hole best by matching Emily Hendricks' record set in 2001. The only individual to beat Connelly at the Regionals was Vikki Laing from California, who fired 69-71--140
Wisconsin shot a total 303 in the afternoon, three strokes better than the morning's 306. The team totals 609 for the first two rounds at the Firethorn Golf Club and sits in a volatile eighth position heading into tomorrow's final round. Several teams are within their reach; Florida in seventh, just one stroke ahead and Missouri in sixth, two strokes ahead of the Badgers.
California led all teams throughout the day, firing 292's for both rounds to finish 16-over par with a 584 total. Kent State holds a solid second with 298-297'595.
After Saturday's final 18-hole round, the top eight teams and two individuals (not advancing with their team) will receive births to the NCAA Championship in West Lafayette, Ind. May 21-24. Wisconsin has never advanced as a team to the Championship.
In seventh place individually is junior Malinda Johnson. She shot two-over 73's in her first and second rounds to finish with a four-over 146.
One of two Badgers shooting 80's in the second round was freshman Lindsay McMillan. Combining with her first round 77, her scores placed her in a tie for 55th with a 157.
Freshman Jackie Obermueller also carded an 80 in the second round. She is in a tie for 94th place with scores of 85-80'165.
Senior Carli Gregorin fired 86's in both of her rounds. She totals 166 in a tie for 102nd.
The final round tees off Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Watch live scoring at www.golfstatlive.com.
