Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
UA women stay calm, now 2nd
FAYETTEVILLE — Blessings was home sweet home again for Arkansas as the Razorbacks’ women’s golf team surged into second place at the SEC Championships.
The Razorbacks shot the best round of the tournament’s first two rounds, turning in a 7-over-par 295 on Saturday for a two-day total of 604. Arkansas moved to within a shot of No. 5 Auburn, which has a two-day total of 603 after a second-round 297 at Blessings Golf Club, which played to a 6,046-yard par 72.
“This is a demanding golf course on every single shot,” Arkansas Coach Shauna Estes-taylor said. “They never let their guard down. It was just an awesome day.”
First- round leader Alabama, the nation’s No. 2 team, ran into the unforgiving side of Blessings and had a secondround score of 312, 15 shots worse than its first-round 297. Brooke Pancake, the nation’s No. 2-ranked collegiate golfer, followed her first-round 73 with an 8-over 80.
“I don’t know if it was so much Blessings as us being in the lead and being defensive,” Alabama Coach Mic Potter said. “We have to force the action somehow [today]. Maybe that will get the defensiveness out of us.”
Auburn’s Patricia Sanz maintained her lead in the individual standings with a second-round 73 for a twoday total of 2-under 142. That left Sanz one stroke ahead of Vanderbilt’s Marina Alex and three shots ahead of Arkansas’ Emma Lavy, who shot evenpar 72 Saturday. First-round co-leader Marta Silva Zamora of Georgia is at 7-over 151 after a 10-over par 83.
Lavy’s 72 was supported by Emily Tubert’s 2-under 70 that more than made up for Tubert’s 78 in the first round. Victoria Vela and Emily Podzielinski turned in 76 and 77, respectively, to complete the Razorbacks scoring.
Lavy, who has lived next to Blessings’ 11th hole since the course opened nine years ago, made two bogeys early in the round before recovering. She ended with a bogey on the 18th after hitting out of one sand trap into another before making a tricky downhill putt.
“I made some good birdies,” Lavy said. “I made some good putts. It was a beautiful day for golf.”
Estes-taylor said she wasn’t surprised Lavy and Tubert had good rounds. Tubert was 4 under on the front nine and moved from 24th place to fifth place on the individual leaderboard, rebounding from her 6-over 78 in the first round.
Tubert said she settled down Saturday by focusing on her team and not herself.
“I felt more like myself repping the Razorbacks,” Tubert said. “Over every shot, I said, ‘This is for Arkansas.’ It’s totally a team effort, and every shot was for Arkansas.
“That kept the nerves away.”
Tubert jokingly said she tried to send her “juju” back to Lavy, who played in the trailing threesome. Lavy said Tubert’s early birdie spree was motivation enough.
“We had a bunch of good energy,” Lavy said. “I thought [Tubert] birdied every hole because the fans were screaming. It’s so important in golf to know things are going good.”
Auburn, the defending team champion, shot 306 in the first round but rebounded with a strong effort that saw three 73s counted.
“Trust me, we’re fighting it out,” Tigers Coach Kim Evans said.
Sanz said she wasn’t thinking of the individual title, just on continuing to play well for the team.
“This golf course gives you a lot of inconveniences,” Sanz said. “There’s no easy hole, no easy shot. I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing.”