Blue Devils Open In First Place At The Margaret Branch NCAA Fall Preview

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.? Led by a three-under-par ledger of 70 by junior All-America Jennie Lee on Monday, the Duke Women's Golf team opened in first place at the Margaret Branch NCAA Fall Preview, which was being played at the University of New Mexico Championship Golf Course in Albuquerque, N.M.

The Blue Devils turned in an 18-hole total of 287 and lead by four strokes over UCLA. Rounding out the top 10 were Southern California (292), Arizona State (295), Vanderbilt (295), Pepperdine (296), Oklahoma State (296), Arizona (298), Auburn (298) and Purdue (298).

“It was a good day,” said Duke Head Coach Dan Brooks. “We actually left a few shots out there as we are playing in some very different altitude, a rough that we are not used to and difficult elevation changes in the fairways to the greens. There is a lot of math going on out here. We played well but we left some shots out there.”

After missing the first tournament of the season for not qualifying in the Blue Devil five-member lineup, Lee broke out with a 70 in the first round on Monday. A product of Henderson, Nev., Lee came out and registered her first career eagle at Duke to go along with three birdies. She had her score at five-under-par heading to the 13th hole but bogies on No. 13 and No. 17 dropped her to three-under-par. The score was led by an eagle on the 515-yard, par five fifth as she hit a wedge from 40 yards out that went in the hole.

Her round of 70 was the lowest for the two-time All-ACC selection since her round of 67 in the season opener of her sophomore season at the Mason Rudolph Collegiate Championship. With her three-under-par score, Lee is tied for fifth.

“She is tough,” said Brooks. “This golf that she is playing right here is not the surprise. The surprise was the golf she was playing up until now. Golf is that way and can fool you sometimes. This is Jennie and this is the Jennie we know. She is a great golfer.”

Sophomore Alison Whitaker matched her career-best round on Monday with a two-under-par 71 and is tied for ninth. A product of Melbourne, Australia, Whitaker opened the action in the morning with birdies on No. 2 and No. 8 to make the turn at two-under-par, 35. On the back nine, Whitaker collected a bogey on the 14th and a birdie on the 18th to close at two-under-par.

Both senior Jennifer Pandolfi and junior Amanda Blumenherst each finished the first round at even par, 73. Pandolfi, who is from Navarre, Fla., came out and made the turn at one-under-par, 36, with birdies at No. 6 and No. 9. She closed the back nine with a birdie on the 12th to go along with bogies on No. 11 and No. 14 and six pars.

Coming off winning the season opening tournament with a 13-under-par ledger, Blumenherst totaled three birdies and three bogies to finish at even par on Monday. A native of Scottsdale, Ariz., Blumenherst played the final 10 holes at one-under par. Both Blumenherst and Pandolfi are tied for 16th in the individual action.

Freshman Kim Donovan struggled on the front nine as she posted three bogies and one double-bogey on her way to making the turn with a five-over-par, 42. A native of Hopkinton, Mass., Donovan opened the back with a birdie on the 10th and a bogey on No. 16 to go along with six pars to finish with a four-over-par, 77. She is tied for 54th after day one.

Duke will tee off in the second round beginning at 11:20 a.m. (EST) along with UCLA and San Francisco.

“It is a good golf course and worth of a National Championship,” said Brooks.

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Duke Results

Jennie Lee 70, t3rd
Alison Whitaker 71, t9th
Jennifer Pandolfi, 73, t16
Amanda Blumenherst, 73, t16
Kim Donovan, 77, t54