Chen Paces Blue Devils on Day One in Chattanooga

Sunday, March 27

Chattanooga, Tenn. (Council Fire Club)

Duke University

Chattanooga Classic

Photo by: Tim Cowie

Chen Paces Blue Devils on Day One in Chattanooga

3/27/2022 8:27:00 PM | Women's Golf

SCORING

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Duke women's golf sophomore Anne Chen carded an even-par, 72, to pace the Blue Devils on day one of the Chattanooga Classic on Sunday at the 6,234-yard, par-72 Council Fire Golf Club in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Chen, who hails from Sugar Land, Texas, was 2-over through six holes in the opening round, before settling down and playing her final 12 holes at 2-under. She collected 10 pars and birdies on No. 7 and No. 10 to close the day. On the seventh hole, Chen hit her 9-iron from 124 yards to eight feet and sank the putt for birdie. She then hit her 50-degree wedge on No. 10 from 98 yards to four feet and rolled in the birdie. She hit 14 greens, 12 fairways and had 32 putts on the day.

At even-par, Chen is tied for sixth overall and only two strokes off the individual lead. UTSA's Ana Gonzalez, East Carolina's Julie Boysen Hillestad and Chattanooga's Esme Hamilton all sit at 2-under through 18 holes.

Freshman Rylie Heflin also closed strong as she was 1-under-par over her final 10 holes to finish with a 74, which is tied for 17th overall. She opened at 3-over through eight holes but was solid down the stretch. Heflin, a native of Avondale, Pa., rolled in a 35-foot putt from off the green for birdie on No. 11 and then hit her 9-iron into the wind from 121 yards on the 366-yard, par-4 16th to two feet for birdie. She hit 11 fairways, 10 greens and rolled 30 putts.

Megan Furtney, a sophomore out of St. Charles, Ill., turned in a 5-over, 77, but was only 1-over-par during her final 11 holes on Sunday. She opened the day by rolling in a 25-foot birdie on the first hole, but went on to play the next six holes at 5-over. Furtney added seven pars, three bogeys and her second collegiate eagle the rest of the way. On the 521-yard, par-5 11th she hit her 3-wood from 248 yards to eight feet and then rolled in the eagle. She hit 12 greens and rolled 31 putts on the day.

The Blue Devils are not playing as a team for this tournament, as Duke junior Erica Shepherd and sophomore Phoebe Brinker are getting prepared to take part in the Augusta National Women's Amateur (ANWA) March 30 through April 2 in Augusta, Ga.

On Monday, the trio of Blue Devils will open play beginning at 11:03 a.m., on hole No. 1.

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