Muscle Shoals, Ala. - The Georgia State women's golf team, playing in its first Sun Belt Conference Championship, opened Monday in fourth place, firing a first round 15-over 303. The Panthers, looking for a conference title and a return trip to the NCAA Regionals, are just five strokes off the lead with 36 holes to play.
Junior Solveig Helgesen, who broke out earlier in the season at the John Kirk/Panther Intercollegiate in late March, finished the day tied for ninth after shooting a 2-over par, 74. Helgesen made two birdies and shot even par on the front nine. She is also just five strokes off the lead as only two golfers broke par on day one.
“I am really pleased with the way we played today,” commented head coach Cathy Mant. “We are well within striking distance and I still do not think we played our best golf. We played well, but we left some shots out of the course. Looking at the stat sheets, all of our players were hitting greens in regulation, the putts just didn't fall.
“We are looking forward to tomorrow. I am proud of our team and the way we played. I am really proud of Solveig who shot our low score today. She has struggled with her game, but right now is playing the best golf she has since arriving at Georgia State. She is striking it well and not giving up on the course. She was a true leader for us today.”
Freshman Julie Lied and junior Maria Palacios are tied for 13th following opening round 4-over 76's. Each made four bogeys in their rounds on the Robert Trent Jones Shoals Course.
Juniors Laura Sanchez and Melissa Siviter both shot 5-over, 77's in the first round, tying for 21st place in the 55-player field. Sanchez got off to a great start, but a triple bogey at the par 3, 18th hurt an otherwise very good round.
Florida International has the day one lead, firing an opening round 10-over 298. The Panthers lead Middle Tennessee by two strokes after the Blue Raiders opened with a first round 300. Troy stands in third at 13-over, followed by GSU. Arkansas-Little Rock rounded out the top five at 18-over after an opening day 306.
FIU's Meghan MacLaren and Arkansas-Little Rock's Sofia Berglund each shot opening round 1-under 71's to take the 18-hole lead. Middle Tennessee duo Allie Knight and Olivia Love, along with Troy's Sara Fennvik stand tied for third following identical even par 72's.
Georgia State will return to the course for round two on Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. ET/8 a.m. CT, paired with Arkansas-Little Rock and South Alabama.
