BLYTHEWOOD, S.C. – Sophomore Jessica Yadloczky shot a 1-over-par 72 Friday to lead Florida on the first day of the Southeastern Conference Women’s Golf Championship at the par-71, 6,165-yard Cobblestone Park Golf Club. The University of South Carolina is serving as host.
The defending champion Gators totaled a 23-over-par 307 total that placed them 10th after the first day.
Auburn has the first-round lead at 5-over 289, six shots ahead of Arkansas and Tennessee. Host South Carolina was fourth at 296, four shots ahead of Alabama and Georgia. Mississippi was tied for seventh with LSU, three strokes ahead of ninth-place Vanderbilt. Florida was three strokes behind Vanderbilt and six shots ahead of Kentucky and seven shots ahead of Mississippi State.
“The team left a lot out there,” Florida coach Jill Briles-Hinton said, “I know they’re disappointed but they are going to come out and fight back tomorrow to get it back. The thing they need to work on the most is overcoming the doubt. They are a young team that needs to work on their mental game. They have to be confident that they can do well. I think it being a lot of their first trips to the SEC Championship had a lot to do with it.”
Yadloczky, the only remaining member of the 2008 conference champion team, made bogeys on three of her first six holes to enter the turn at three-over. She rallied back to collect seven pars and two birdies on holes 14 and 18. Yadloczky is currently tied for seventh place with a one-over 72.
“(Jessica) fought hard,” Briles-Hinton said.
Individually, there is a three-way tie for first place at 1-under 70 between Ashley Lance of Mississippi, Haley Wilson of Auburn and Lucy Nunn of Arkansas.
Redshirt sophomore Nicole Schachner carded a 78 (+7) in her first round for Florida. Joining Schachner in a tie for 36th is Lauren Uzelatz. Freshmen Evan Jensen and Andrea Watts shot 79s and were tied for 44th place.
The 2009 SEC Championship continues on Saturday.
SEC WOMEN’S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
Team scores: 1. Auburn 289 (+5); T2. Arkansas 295 (+11) and Tennessee 295 (+11); 4. South Carolina 296 (+12); T5. Alabama 300 (+16) and Georgia 300 (+16); T7. Mississippi 301 (+17) and Louisiana State 301 (+17); 9. Vanderbilt 304 (+20); 10. Florida 307 (+23); 11. Kentucky 313 (+29); 12. Mississippi State 314 (+30).
Individual Top 10: T1. Ashley Lance (Mississippi) 70 (-1), Haley Wilson (Auburn) 70 (-1) and Lucy Nunn (Arkansas) 70 (-1); T4. Cydney Clanton (Auburn) 71 (E), Candace Schepperle (Auburn) 71 (E) and Kathleen Ekey (Alabama) 71 (E); T7. Jessica Yadloczky (Florida) 72 (+1), Benedicte Toumpsin (South Carolina) 72 (+1) and Marta Silva (Georgia) 72 (+1); T10. Marina Alex (Vanderbilt) 73 (+2), Corrine Carr (South Carolina 73 (+2), Dori Carter (Mississippi) 73 (+2), Kathleen Ekey (Alabama) 73 (+2), Jaqueline Hedwall (LSU) 73 (+2), Mallory Hetzel (Georgia) 73 (+2) and Kristin Ingram (Arkansas) 73 (+2).
Florida results: T7. Jessica Yadloczky 72 (+1); T36. Nicole Schachner 78 (+7) and Lauren Uzelatz 78 (+7); T44. Andrea Watts 79 (+8) and Evan Jensen 79 (+8).