APSU Women’s Golf
Dickson, TN – Some difficult late holes has Austin Peay State University women’s golf team in fifth place after Day 1 of the Ohio Valley Conference Championships, Thursday, being played at the par-72, 6,049-yard GreyStone Golf Club.
The Lady Govs shot an opening-round 319, 27 shots behind leader Morehead State (292). Murray State is five shots back at 297 followed by Jacksonville State (304) and Eastern Kentucky (305). Eastern Illinois (327) followed by Tennessee Tech (337) and host Tennessee State (365).
As a result of standings, the same teams will be paired again on Friday, with Austin Peay teeing off at 8:50am.
Senior Chelsea Harris, the defending OVC tournament medalist, played the last three holes at three-over par, including a double-bogey on the 18th hole when she attempted to chip a ball off a rock in a creek bed.
Unfortunately, the ball ricocheted off a second rock and went behind the golfer, landing in the gallery. She almost chipped in from there but settled for a double-bogey. As a result, Harris finished at 75 for an eighth-place tie after the first day. Still, she is just five shots off the pace set by Morehead State’s Emma Jonsson (70).
Freshman Rachel Deaton, who recorded her first college eagle (three) on the par-five second hole, was playing even-par until the 17th hole when, after scuffing consecutive short iron shots and then landing in both bunkers, finished that par-5 hole with a 10.
That was followed by another bogey on 18. She ended the day with a 78, the Lady Govs only other golfer to finish under 80.
In fact, the Lady Govs have to count two 83 from senior Catie Tucker and junior Ashley Averitt while senior Ashley Wathen finished at 84.
“Our goal was not only to get off to a good start but also have a good first round,” APSU coach Sara Robson said. “We were successful in the first goal in that we started off very well—the first four holes we played very well.
“And then we had just too many holes with big numbers. The big numbers killed us today.
“The good news is our not-so-great round today was just three strokes higher than our average round for the spring. That’s a positive way to look at it. But the bottom line is we have to go out tomorrow and just get rid of the big numbers.”
Robson was pleased with the play of her senior leader Harris.
“Chelsea played well today,” Robson said. “She had a couple of real bad breaks, resulting in a couple of doubles. On that 18th hole I walked down to the creek with Chelsea and she told me ‘there is no way I am not hitting this shot.’
“How do you tell the defending OVC medalist, someone who knows her game so well, something different? You don’t second guess her. She hit the best shot she could. Had she hit down on it it wouldn’t have done what it did. But why would you practice shots like that in the first place, chancing hurting your wrist and tearing up your club.”
Robson also appreciated the play of Deaton, especially after the disastrous 17th.
“Rachel really played well today,” Robson said. “When you don’t look at 17, that shows you how well she played. I thought she handled the adversity well after 17. Those things happened.
“We talked about it—we all make mistakes—and she is going to be fine. I told her she is going to come back tomorrow and conquer that hole with a par.”
The OVC Women’s Golf Championship will being 8:00am, Friday, with Saturday’s final round also scheduled for an 8:00am tee tie. Live scoring can be accessed through links at www.OVCSports.com.
