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Women?s Golf Continues to Lead NCAA Fall Preview Through Two Rounds
9/25/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.? With a six-under-par, 286, on Tuesday at the Margaret Branch NCAA Fall Preview, the Duke Women's Golf team owns a four shot lead heading into the final day of action at the 6,351-yard, Par 73 University of New Mexico Championship Golf Course in Albuquerque, N.M. Leading the Blue Devil charge on the second day was junior Amanda Blumenherst, who registered a Tuesday-best five-under-par, 68.
Duke owns a 36-hole total of 573 and leads Southern California (577). Rounding out the top 10 was Arizona State (582), UCLA (585), Purdue (586), Pepperdine (588), Arizona (590), New Mexico (591), Vanderbilt Auburn (597) and Oklahoma State (597).
“I think we learned a lot today,” said Duke Head Coach Dan Brooks. “We played the par threes better today. We had four birdies out of five on our 12th hole, which is a par three. It just takes a while to know how much to dial in for the altitude difference, wind and elevation difference in the fairway.”
A native of Scottsdale, Ariz., began her round with a birdie on No. 1 and then reeled off three straight pars before bogeying holes five, six and seven. The two-time NCAA Player of the Year closed the front nine with a bogey to make the turn at one-over-par, 38. Blumenherst started the back nine with three consecutive birdies and then pared the next two holes. She collected a birdie on No. 15, par on the 16th and closed with birdies on No. 17 and No. 18. Overall on the back nine, Blumenherst birdied six of nine holes and shot a six-under-par, 30. Blumenherst hit 17 of 18 greens on the day.
“I kind of turned it on a little bit, said Blumenherst on her final 10 holes. “I wasn't playing that great the first few holes as I was hitting the ball well but wasn't putting well. I made a nice two-putt for birdie on nine and that got me going. Every birdie I had on the day were within 10 feet so I was hitting them pretty close.”
After totaling an even-par, 73, on day one, Blumenherst is tied for fourth with a 36-hole total of 141. Leading the individual competition is Southern California's Dewi Claire Schreefel (137), followed by Pepperdine's Taylore Karle (138) and Alison Walshe of Arizona (139).
“The course has some reachable par fives on it, she is long so all of that plays in her favor,” said Brooks.
Senior Jennifer Pandolfi birdied three out of the last seven holes on Tuesday to register a one-under-par, 72, and is tied for 15th with a 145. A product of Navarre, Fla., Pandolfi pared the first eight holes and closed the 449-yard, par five ninth with a bogey to make the turn with a 38. On the back, she totaled birdies on No. 12, 14 and 17 to go along with a bogey on No. 15.
“The golf course is really good,” said Pandolfi. “It has five par fives so it is scoreable and you can go low. The greens are pretty hard and it is kind on the side of the mountain so it is pretty hilly. You have a lot of shots where you are adding yards for elevation. I was pretty steady all day [today]. I am putting pretty well and I feel pretty good about the greens.”
Both junior Jennie Lee and freshman Kim Donovan each turned in rounds of even-par, 73, in the second round. Coming off totaling a 69 on day one, Lee played the first 15 holes on Tuesday at two-under-par, but finished the round with bogeys on No. 16 and No. 17 to go along with a par on the 18th. Lee, who is from Henderson, Nev., is tied for 10th with a 143 entering the final round.
Donovan, who is from Hopkinton, Fla., held a one-under-par ledger through 13 holes but a double-bogey on the 14th dropped her back to one-over-par. She notched a birdie on the 466-yard, par five 18th to get her score to even par. Donovan is tied for 39th with a 150.
After collecting a two-under-par, 71, on Monday, sophomore Alison Whitaker posted a two-over-par, 75, on the second day. She fired eight pars on the opening nine along with a double-bogey on No. 6. Over the final nine holes, she had three birdies and three bogeys, but two of her three birdies came on the final two holes -- No. 17 and No. 18. She is tied for 20th with a 146.
Duke will tee off in the final round on Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. in a shotgun start along with Southern California and Arizona State.
“This group is just great,” said Brooks. “They are really pulling together and they are motivated. It is really impressive. It should continue as I don't see any reason why it wouldn't. Everyone is in a good mindset.”
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Duke Results:
Amanda Blumenherst 73-68=141 (t4th)
Jennie Lee 70-73-143 (t10th)
Jennifer Pandolfi 73-72-145 (t15th)
Alison Whitaker 71-75=146 (t20th)
Kim Donovan 77-73=150 (t39th)
Players Mentioned
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