UNCG tied for 6th, Taylor tied for 2nd at JMU Eagle Landing Invite
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Courtney Taylor, who has modified her swing since the end of the fall season, reaped the benefits Friday when she shot a 1-under-par 71 to tie for second place among individuals and guide the UNCG women's golf team to a sixth-place tie through one day of the 18-team JMU Eagle Landing Invite on Friday.
Taylor, the 2010 Southern Conference Freshman of the Year whose outstanding rookie year was immediately followed by a few struggles this past fall, turned in her second consecutive strong round of the spring after consecutive 79s in last week's Lady Gator event at the University of Florida. Her 4-over-par 74 on the final day in Gainesville, Fla., served as a precursor to today's play, in which she shrugged off a slow start with three birdies on a nine-hole stretch in the middle of the Eagle Landing Golf Club's par-72, 6,282-yard layout.
Begonia Sarabia placed second among the Spartans and tied for 19th among the 98 individuals with an opening-round 76 and was followed in the lineup by Erica Creed (78), Ana Martinez (81) and Lizzie Bundy (81).
UNCG leads, among others, Southern Conference foe Elon (15th), Illinois (ninth) and South Florida (eighth). Play resumes on Saturday at the event, which is hosted by James Madison University.
JMU EAGLE LANDING INVITE
Eagle Landing Golf Club (Par-72, 6,282 yards)
Jacksonville, Fla.
Team scores
1. Chattanooga 296; 2. Stetson 303; 3. East Carolina 304; T4. Maryland 305; T4. Florida Gulf Coast 305; T6. UNCG 306; T6. Miami 306; 8. South Florida 308; T9 James Madison 309; T9. Illinois 309; 11. Campbell 311; T12. Illinois State 312; T12. Central Arkansas 312; T12. Kennesaw State 312; 15. Elon 315; 16. Longwood 317; 17. Georgetown 317; 18. Jacksonville 321.
Individual scores
Top 10: 1. Briana Carlson (Florida Gulf Coast) 70; T2. Courtney Taylor (UNCG) 71; T2. Mallory Viera (Stetson) 71; T4. Maria Juliana Loza (Chattanooga) 72; T4. Julia Roth (Central Arkansas) 72; T6. Yushira Budhran (Chattanooga) 72; T6. Colleen Estes (East Carolina); T6. Christina Hiriano (Miami) 73; T6. Hayley Chinning (Kennesaw State) 73; T10. Alex Buelow (Stetson) 74; T10. Brooke Mallory (Longwood) 74; T10. Christine Shimel (Maryland) 74.
Other UNCG golfers: T19. Begonia Sarabia 76; T38. Erica Creed 78; T68. Ana Martinez 81; T68. Lizzie Bundy 81.
- UNCG -