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Cnops Moves Up The Board On Day Two Of Kiawah Island Classic
GREENSBORO, N.C. – UNCG sophomore women's golfer Fanny Cnops (Gent, Belgium/K. A. Voskenslaan) moved up 30 spots to fourth overall, just one off the lead in the individual standings, Monday as she fired a 3-under par 69 on day two of the Kiawah Island Classic.
Cnops' play helped the Spartans as a team move up seven places with a team score of 299, tied for the lowest score of the afternoon. The Spartans currently sit in sixth place with a 613 (314-299) while tournament host the College of Charleston hold the 36-hole lead with a 596 (292-304).
Cnops started her round with nine straight pars on the back-nine of the Oaks Course at Kiawah Island. After posting a bogey on hole No. 1 (her 10th hole of the day), she made her move up the leader board notching birdies in four out of five holes from numbers 3-7.
Cnops sits in a tie for fourth overall at 2-over par (146), with 18 holes left to play Tuesday. She trails three players tied at 1-over par (145) heading into the final round in Campbell's Brooke Bellomy, Richmond's Tracy Martin and the College of Charleston's Julia Neumann. Her score of 69 was one of just three rounds under par Monday and is her second lowest single-round score of the year.
Freshman Sammie Buchanan (Bluffton, S.C./Bluffton) continued her solid play as she posted a 5-over par 77 on day two. She enters the final round tied for 26th place with a score 153 after posting a 76 on day one. Senior Courtney Taylor (Gastonia, N.C./Ashbrook) also turned in another strong outing as she carded a 5-over par 77 for the second straight day to place 36th overall with a 154.
Sophomore Berglind Bjornsdottir (Reykjavik, Iceland/Reykjavik Menntaskolinn) rebounded from a tough first round to post the Spartans' second-lowest score of the second round with a 4-over par 76.
Cnops and the Spartans head into the final day within striking distance of both the individual and team titles on a course they have had recent success playing. Cnops is the defending champion of the Kiawah Island Classic as she claimed the top spot last season firing a 2-under par 214 (72-71-71) to win by one stroke. Cnops' play helped the Spartans post a second-place team finish in the event with an 899 (307-297-295).
The Spartans also won the team and individual titles on the same course at the Palmetto Intercollegiate last year. UNCG set the school-record for a 54-hole event, carding an 875 (293-290-292) to break the record by 15 strokes. Additionally, Cnops' individual title set the school record as she posted a 7-under par (70-72-67).
As one of the top 18 teams in the 32-team field, the Spartans will conclude the 33rd annual Kiawah Island Classic Tuesday afternoon returning to the Cougar Point Golf Course to battle for the title. The Cougar Point Golf Course is playing as the tougher of the two courses through the first two days as players own an 81.08 stroke average through 170 rounds while notching an 80.50 average on the Oaks Course in 172 rounds.
- UNCG -
