Women's Golf in ninth after first round of NCAA Central Regional
BRYAN, Texas -- Texas senior golfer Devan Andersen and junior Julia Best were impressive Thursday in the first round of the NCAA Women's Golf Central Regionals in Bryan, Texas, which is taking place at the Traditions Golf Club. After the first day of competition, Anderson and Best led the UT team to a ninth-place standing, as the squad posted a first-round score of 23-over par 311. Thursday was the first of the three-day Central Regionals. The top eight teams will advance to the 2006 NCAA National Championships. Andersen is tied for the lead with Amanda Blumenherst of Duke, as Andersen registered a season-best two-under par score of 70. The Guadalajara, Mexico native totaled five birdies and three bogies sprinkled amongst 10 pars in her first 18 holes. Andersen's best finish in a regional previously was a tie for21st in 2004. Second seed and No. 6-ranked Southern California is in first place at five over par 293. Top-ranked Duke, the top seed of the regional, is in second at six-over par while No. 15-ranked Florida, the fifth seed, is in third at 13-over par. The Bulverde, Texas product Best shot a four-over par 76 to tie for 20th on Thursday. Best opened on the back nine of the course with two bogies and seven pars to sit at two-over par and got to one over with a birdie on her second hole of the front nine. She struggled down the stretch however with three straight bogeys in the last three holes of her round. Best has finished in the top 10 in three out of the last four tournaments she has played in. UT sophomore Kelley Louth (Victoria, Texas) is tied for 57th after shooting an eight-over par 80. Competing for the first time at the NCAA Regionals are sophomore Brittany Givilancz (Weslaco, Texas) and freshman Caney Hines (San Antonio, Texas). Givilancz is tied for 89th after carding a 13-over 85 and Hanes totaled a 14-over par 86 (tied for 95th). Last season, the Longhorns placed ninth at the NCAA Central Regional at the Jerry S. Rawls Golf Course in Lubbock, missing qualifying for the NCAA Championship by one stroke. Texas will return to the course tomorrow for a 7:30 a.m. (Central) tee-time and will be paired with Northwestern and Birmingham-Southern for the second round.
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