TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Freshman Mia Piccio opened with a 2-over-par 73 Friday to lead ninth-place Florida in the opening round of the SEC Women’s Golf Championship at the 6,057-yard NorthRiver Yacht Club. The Gators totaled 14-over 298 and trailed co-leaders Georgia and Arkansas, which both had 4-under-par 280 totals.
“It was a bit of a frustrating day,” Florida coach Jan Dowling said. “We would have some momentum going and then it would be halted by three putts here and there or a big number here and there. Overall as a team I don’t think we caught any momentum. However, tomorrow is moving day and we are one good round from being right in the mix. We worked on our short game this afternoon and are looking forward to getting out there again tomorrow.”
Piccio began her postseason debut by making the turn at three-over. She carded a birdie on 12 and a bogey on 14 before making a triple bogey on 17. The freshman rebounded by shooting one-under par in her final nine holes with four birdies and three bogeys.
Junior Jessica Yadloczky, sophomore Marika Lendl and freshman Isabelle Lendl shot identical scores of 4-over-par 75 and are tied for 39th place. Sophomore Evan Jensen will begin second-round play in a deadlock for 44h place after shooting a five-over 76.
Following Arkansas and Georgia in the team race are Louisiana State, Vanderbilt and Mississippi, which all totaled 284. Benedicte Toumpsin of South Carolina shot a 3-under-par 68 to lead the individual leaderboard by a shot over five golfers—Georgia’s Emilie Burger, Marta Silva Zamora and Milena Savich, Vanderbilt’s Brooke Goodwin and Arkansas’ Kelli Shean.
SEC WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
At par-71, 6,057-yard NorthRiver Yacht Club, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
TEAM SCORES: 1. (tie) Georgia 280 (-4) and Arkansas 280 (-4); 3. (tie) Vanderbilt 284 (E), Mississippi 284 (E) and Louisiana State 284 (E); 6. Alabama 287 (+3); 7. (tie) South Carolina 289 (+5) and Auburn 289 (+5); 9. (tie) Florida 298 (+14) and Tennessee 298 (+14); 11. Kentucky 302 (+18); 12. Mississippi State 309 (+25).
TOP 25 (and ties) SCORES: 1. Benedicte Toumpsin (South Carolina) 68 (-3); 2. (tie) Emilie Burger (Georgia) 69 (-2), Milena Savich (Georgia) 69 (-2), Marta Silva Zamora (Georgia) 69 (-2), Brooke Goodwin (Vanderbilt) 69 (-2) and Kelli Shean (Arkansas) 69 (-2); 7. (tie) Sara Grantham (Mississippi) 70 (-1), Jennifer Kirby 70 (-1), Haley Sanders (Mississippi) 70 (-1), Alexandrea Schulte (Arkansas) 70 (-1), Tessa Teachman (Louisiana State) 70 (-1), Amalie Valle (Louisiana State) 70 (-1) and Victoria Vela (Arkansas) 70 (-1); 14. (tie) Ashleigh Albrecht (Kentucky) 71 (E), Marina Alex (Vanderbilt) 71 (E), Helena Blomberg (Alabama) 71 (E), Kristin Ingram (Arkansas) 71 (E), Haley Millsap (Mississippi) 71 (E) and Haley Wilson (Auburn) 71 (E); 20. (tie) Katie Burnett (South Carolina) 72 (+1), Cydney Clanton (Auburn) 72 (+1), Megan Grehan (Vanderbilt) 72 (+1), Jacqueline Hedwall (Louisiana State) 72 (+1), Anna Leigh Keith (Vanderbilt) 72 (+1), Camilla Lennarth (Alabama) 72 (+1), Nathalie Mansson (Tennessee) 72 (+1), Megan McChrystal (Louisiana State) 72 (+1) and Candace Schepperle (Auburn) 72 (+1).
FLORIDA SCORES: T29. Mia Piccio 73 (+2); T39. Jessica Yadloczky 75 (+4), Marika Lendl 75 (+4) and Isabelle Lendl 75 (+4); T44. Evan Jensen 76 (+5).
RANKINGS
GOLFWEEK/SAGARIN
TEAM
1. Arizona State; 2 UCLA; 3. Auburn; 4. Duke; 5. Southern California; 6. Arizona; 7. Alabama; 8. Purdue; 9. Pepperdine; 10. Michigan State;
11. Florida; 12. Wake Forest; 13. Stanford; 14. Tennessee; 15. Denver; 16. Georgia; 17. California; 18. Virginia; 19. Louisiana State; 20. Florida State;
21. Ohio State; 22. New Mexico; 23. Texas A&M; 24. Vanderbilt; 25. Texas Christian; 26. South Carolina; 27. Tulane; 28. Oklahoma State; 29. North Carolina; 30. Kent State;
31. Louisville; 32. Arkansas; 33. UC Davis; 34. Texas; 35. Oregon; 36. Washington; 37. UNLV; 38. Northwestern; 39. Notre Dame; 40. San Jose State;
41. San Francisco; 42. San Diego State; 43. Georgia State; 44. Chattanooga; 45. UC Irvine; 46. Tulsa; 47. Mississippi; 48. Texas Tech; 49. East Tennessee State; 50. Campbell
INDIVIDUAL
1. Cydney Clanton (Auburn); 2. Jennifer Son (Southern California; 3. Caroline Hedwell (Oklahoma State; 4. Stephanie Kono (UCLA); 5. Marina Alex (Vanderbilt); 6. Jodi Ewart (New Mexico); 7. Lindy Duncan (Duke); 8. Maude-Aimee LeBlanc (Purdue); 9. Juliana Murcia (Arizona State); 10. Jennifer Johnson (Arizona State);
11. Sydnee Michaels (UCLA); 12. Lizette Salas (Southern California); 13. Carlota Ciganda (Arizona State); 14. Nathalie Mansson (Tennessee); 15. Camille Lennarth (Alabama); 16. Marta Silva (Georgia); 17. Kelli Shean (Arkansas); 18. Laura Kueny (Michigan State); 19. Jennifer Kirby (Alabama); 20. Cheyenne Woods (Wake Forest);
21. Tessa Teachman (Louisiana State); 22. Jaclyn Sweeney (Arizona State); 23. Joanne Lee (California); 24. Margarita Ramos (Arizona); 25. Emilie Burger (Georgia); 26. Julia Boland (Texas A&M); 27. Tiffany Lua (UCLA); 28. Sally Watson (Stanford); 29. Numa Gulyanamitta (Purdue); 30. Megan McChrystal (Louisiana State);
31. Lisa McCloskey (Pepperdine); 32. Sara-Maude Juneau (Louisville); 33. Candace Schepperle (Auburn); 34. Kayla Mortellaro (Idaho); 35. Isabelle Boineau (Arizona); 36. Taylore Karle (Pepperdine); 37. Stephanie Sherlock (Denver); 38. Kimberly Kim (Denver); 39. Belen Mozo (Southern California); 40. Stefanie Kenoyer (Furman);
41. Macarena Silva (Florida State); 42. Brianna Do (UCLA); 43. Brittany Altomare (Virginia); 44. Sherlyn Popelka (Arizona); 45. Victoria Park (Oklahoma State); 46. Kristina Merkle (Tulsa); 47. Brooke Pancake (Alabama); 48. Catherine O’Donnell (North Carolina); 49. Kendra Little (Oregon); 50. Rebecca Durham (Stanford).
Florida golfers: 58. Evan Jensen; 67. Isabelle Lendl; 83. Marika Lendl; 100. Mia Piccio; 148. Jessica Yadloczky; 176. Andrea Watts; 337. Lauren Uzelatz
GOLF WORLD/NATIONAL GOLF COACHES ASSOCIATION
1. Arizona State; 2. UCLA; 3. Auburn; 4. Southern California; 5. Duke; 6. Alabama; 7. Pepperdine; 8. Arizona; 9. Purdue; 10. Florida;
11. Tennessee; 12. Michigan State; 13. Wake Forest; 14. Georgia; 15. Stanford; 16. California; 17. Virginia; 18. Denver; 19. Louisiana State; 20. Texas A&M;
21. Vanderbilt; 22. Ohio State; 23. Texas Christian; 24. New Mexico; 25. UC Davis; 26. Oklahoma State; 27. Florida State; 28. North Carolina; 29. Louisville; 30. Georgia State;
31. (tie) Tulane and UCF; 33. South Carolina; 34. Kent State; 35. UC Irvine; 36. Washington; 37. Ohio; 38. (tie) Idaho and Texas; 40. Chattanooga;
41. San Jose State; 42. Arkansas-Little Rock.