Ellenbogen Leads Blue Devils in Round One

Friday, October 9

Chapel Hill, N.C.

All Day

Duke University

Day One

Ellenbogen Leads Blue Devils in Round One

10/9/2009 7:45:00 PM | Women's Golf

By: Duke Sports Information

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Duke University freshman Courtney Ellenbogen registered a career-best two-under-par, 70, on Friday to open the 2009 Tar Heel Invitational at the 6,285-yard, Par 72 Finley Golf Course in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Ellenbogen, a product of Blacksburg, Va., notched four birdies on the day and sits only one shot off the individual lead of three-under-par, which is held by Laura Kueny of Michigan State. The Duke newcomer opened the day with a birdie on the first hole and then rang off seven straight pars before suffering a bogey on the ninth hole with a three-putt. Ellenbogen came back with a birdie on No. 10 and birdies on No. 13 and No. 16 to move to three-under-par.

"I couldn't be happier for Courtney," said Brooks. "I am not surprised as she has been working real hard on her golf swing. We used the fall to make some changes and she has been making those changes. For her to come in and shoot under par, I couldn't be more happier for her."

Ellenbogen got unlucky on her second shot into the par five 17th hole as it went into the bunker and led to a bogey, but came back to notch a par on the 18th to close out the day with a 70. She is tied with Sara-Maude Juneau of Louisville and Hannah Thomson of Florida State at two-under through 18 holes. Ellenbogen totaled a team-best 29 putts, while hitting 13 fairways and 13 greens on the day.

As a team, the Blue Devils had a solid round of four-over par going until the final three holes when Duke dropped seven shots to fall to 11th place in the team standings. Duke totaled an 11-under, 299, on Friday and is 14 shots off leader, Michigan State. The Spartans posted a three-under-par, 285, on day one to lead by five strokes over Alabama (290). Tennessee (291), Virginia (292), Wake Forest (293), Florida State (294), South Carolina (295), Auburn (296), North Carolina (296), Vanderbilt (298), Duke (299) and N.C. State (301) round out the top 12.

"It was really hard to see the final holes today and it surprised me how we finished," said Brooks. "We must have had a bunch of bad holes at the end. We were not having a great day, but we doubled the amount we were over par right there on the last few holes and that is tough. The fortunate thing is we have two days left and the other fortunate thing is we have a bunch of tough kids here. We are still in position to win this tournament."

Freshman Lindy Duncan opened her round with a one-over-par, 37, on the front nine with one birdie and two bogeys and then suffered a bogey on No. 10 to drop to two-over-par. Duncan, who is from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., had a par on the 11th hole and then collected back-to-back birdies on No. 12 and No. 13 to get her score back to even par. An unlucky lie on the par five 17th hole where she had to take an unplayable led to a double-bogey and she then closed with a bogey on No. 18 to finish with a 75. She is tied for 37th, individually.

Coming off the best tournament of her career, junior Kim Donovan hit the ball solid most of the day but couldn't drop many putts. She hit all nine greens on the front nine and made the turn at even par before playing the back nine at four-over-par, 40, to finish with a 76. A native of Hopkinton, Mass., Donovan totaled her lone birdie of the day on the par five third hole. For the round, Donovan hit 13 greens, eight fairways, and had 34 putts. She is tied for 42nd in the individual action.

Senior Alison Whitaker totaled a 78, while freshman Stacey Kim posted a round of 81 to close out the Duke lineup. Whitaker totaled 33 putts, hit 10 greens and hit six fairways on the day. Kim, who is from Columbus, Ga., hit eight fairways, 10 greens and had 34 putts.

Duke will tee off on Saturday beginning at 10:30 a.m., along with Vanderbilt and N.C. State, before closing out the tournament on Sunday. Live scoring can be found at www.GoDuke.com.

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Duke Results

T2 -    Courtney Ellenbogen   Duke -2 F -2 70
T37 - Lindy Duncan Duke +3 F +3 75
T43 - Kim Donovan   Duke +4 F +4 76
T64 - Alison Whitaker   Duke +6 F +6 78
T83 - Stacey Kim   Duke +9 F +9 81

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1 Team Scores
1 Michigan State 285 -3
2 Alabama, U. of 290 +2
3 Tennessee 291 +3
4 Virginia 292 +4
5 Wake Forest 293 +5
6 Florida State Univ. 294 +6
7 South Carolina 295 +7
T8 Auburn 296 +8
T8 North Carolina 296 +8
10 Vanderbilt 298 +10
11 Duke 299 +11
12 North Carolina St. 301 +13
13 Denver, Univ. of 302 +14
T14 Louisville, Univ. of 304 +16
T14 Texas A&M 304 +16
16 Kent State 306 +18
17 N. Car. Wilmington 310 +22
18 East Carolina Univ. 316 +28

Start Finish Player Team Scores
- 1 Laura Kueny Michigan State 69 -3
- T2 Hannah Thomson Florida State Univ. 70 -2
- T2 Courtney Ellenbogen Duke 70 -2
- T2 Sara-Maude Juneau Louisville, Univ. of 70 -2
- T5 Rhea Nair Alabama, U. of 71 -1
- T5 Lindsey Solberg Michigan State 71 -1
- T5 Macarena Silva Florida State Univ. 71 -1
- T5 Candace Schepperle Auburn 71 -1
- T5 Marina Alex Vanderbilt 71 -1
- T5 Calle Nielson Virginia 71 -1
- T5 Erica Popson Tennessee 71 -1
- T5 Natalie Sheary Wake Forest 71 -1
- T13 Shannon Warner Michigan State 72 E
- T13 Sarah Beth Davis Texas A&M 72 E
- T13 Camilla Lennarth Alabama, U. of 72 E
- T13 Benedicte Toumpsin South Carolina 72 E
- T13 Emily Street North Carolina St. 72 E
- T13 Lauren Greenlief Virginia 72 E
- T13 Ginny Brown Tennessee 72 E
- T13 Cheyenne Woods Wake Forest 72 E
- T13 Catherine O'Donnell North Carolina 72 E
- T22 Jennifer Kirby Alabama, U. of 73 +1
- T22 Aimee Neff Michigan State 73 +1
- T22 Meredith Swanson South Carolina 73 +1
- T22 Anna Leigh Keith Vanderbilt 73 +1
- T22 Cydney Clanton Auburn 73 +1
- T22 Courtney Gunter North Carolina 73 +1
- T22 Kimberly Kim Denver, Univ. of 73 +1
- T22 Kate Thomas North Carolina 73 +1
- T22 Whitney Neuhauser Virginia 73 +1
- T31 Brooke Pancake Alabama, U. of 74 +2
- T31 Abby Bools East Carolina Univ. 74 +2
- T31 Mercedes Germino Kent State 74 +2
- T31 Amanda Strang South Carolina 74 +2
- T31 Diana Cantu Tennessee 74 +2
- T31 Nathalie Mansson Tennessee 74 +2
- T37 Ashley Tait N. Car. Wilmington 75 +3
- T37 Jessica Negron Florida State Univ. 75 +3
- T37 Lindy Duncan Duke 75 +3
- T37 Michelle Shin Wake Forest 75 +3
- T37 Dolores White Wake Forest 75 +3
- T42 Ashley Freeman Texas A&M 76 +4
- T42 Cristina Manrique N. Car. Wilmington 76 +4
- T42 Courtney Harter Alabama, U. of 76 +4
- T42 Julia Boland Texas A&M 76 +4
- T42 Brooke Baker North Carolina St. 76 +4
- T42 Patty Sanz Auburn 76 +4
- T42 Carlie Yadloczky Auburn 76 +4
- T42 Haley Wilson Auburn 76 +4
- T42 Brooke Goodwin Vanderbilt 76 +4
- T42 Kim Donovan Duke 76 +4
- T42 Meghan Chapman North Carolina St. 76 +4
- T42 Katie Burnett South Carolina 76 +4
- T42 Sue Kim Denver, Univ. of 76 +4
- T42 Nicole Agnello Virginia 76 +4
- T42 Laura Anderson Louisville, Univ. of 76 +4
- T42 Stephanie Sherlock Denver, Univ. of 76 +4
- T42 Brittany Altomare Virginia 76 +4
- T59 Kathleen Strandberg North Carolina St. 77 +5
- T59 Sarah Bradley Kent State 77 +5
- T59 Martina Gavier Kent State 77 +5
- T59 Sarah Faller Denver, Univ. of 77 +5
- T59 Allie Bodemann Wake Forest 77 +5
- T64 Mary Beth Ramsay Florida State Univ. 78 +6
- T64 Sofia Hagsund N. Car. Wilmington 78 +6
- T64 Shamira Marshall Kent State 78 +6
- T64 Megan Grehan Vanderbilt 78 +6
- T64 Alison Whitaker Duke 78 +6
- T64 Corrine Carr South Carolina 78 +6
- T64 Jordan Allyne North Carolina 78 +6
- T64 Anna-Karin Ljungstrom Louisville, Univ. of 78 +6
- T64 Sarah Thead North Carolina 78 +6
- T64 Ellie Givens Denver, Univ. of 78 +6
- T74 Margaret Pentrack * North Carolina 79 +7
- T74 Joanna Saleeby * North Carolina St. 79 +7
- T74 Lacey Agnew Florida State Univ. 79 +7
- T74 Caroline Powers Michigan State 79 +7
- T74 Julie Saleeby North Carolina St. 79 +7
- T74 Sara Monberg Tennessee 79 +7
- T80 Amber Littman East Carolina Univ. 80 +8
- T80 Sarah Zwartynski Texas A&M 80 +8
- T80 Daphne Parker Louisville, Univ. of 80 +8
- T83 Meghan Moore East Carolina Univ. 81 +9
- T83 Alei Mitchell N. Car. Wilmington 81 +9
- T83 Chloe Garner Texas A&M 81 +9
- T83 Ana Maria Puche East Carolina Univ. 81 +9
- T83 Lauren Stratton Vanderbilt 81 +9
- T83 Stacey Kim Duke 81 +9
- T83 Candice Wiley Louisville, Univ. of 81 +9
- T90 Michelle Ahn * North Carolina 82 +10
- T90 Carmen Perez-Narbon N. Car. Wilmington 82 +10
- 92 Mandi Morrow Kent State 83 +11
- 93 Colleen Estes East Carolina Univ. 86 +14