Florida Gators
Lady Puerto Rico Classic
Gator Women?s Golf Takes Over the Lead in Round Two of Lady Puerto Rico Classic
Sunday, February 26, 2006 | Women's Golf
The No. 22 University of Florida women's golf team shot a day two team score of 292 to move into first-place, after the second round of the Lady Puerto Rico Classic in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Lady Gators dethroned No. 3 Purdue to take over the top spot at the par 72, 6,000-yard Dorado Del Mar golf course at the Puerto Rico Golf Resort.
Sophomore Whitney Myers (East Berlin, Pa.) continues to lead the UF squad, as she shot a season-low and minus-two score of 69 to carry a personal season-low total of 142 after the second round. Myers recorded the sixth under-par round by a Lady Gator this season, and is optimistic she can maintain and improve her third-place standing in the final round of play.
“I played well today,” said Myers. “I started out with a birdie on the first hole and ended up with a birdie on three of my first five holes. Tomorrow I'll have to be aware of the wind if I want to have a round like I did today. This course is long, but it's been very windy so when I'm hitting with the wind it makes the holes shorter, and hitting into the wind makes them longer. It will be very important to make sure I have the right club in my hand for every shot.”
Myers is currently two strokes behind the individual leader, Amanda McCurdy of Arkansas. Sophomore Sandra Gal (Leichlingen, Germany) improved her day one standing in 33rd with a 71 (77-71-148) during day two to move up to a tie for eighth overall.
Freshman Brittany Nelson (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) sits in a tie for 20th with a two round total of 150 (74-76-150), while sophomore team captain Tiffany Chudy (Miramar) slipped from 17th to a tie for 30th after firing a 77 on the day. Freshman Mallory Blackwelder (Versailles, Ky.) improved her score from day one by a stroke with a 76 in round two (77-76=153) to sit in a tie for 34th.
Redshirt freshman Ornella Jouven (La Ciotat, France), competing as an individual, notched a 73 (76-73=149) for the day to claim a share of 16th-place. Head coach Jill Briles-Hinton was impressed with her team's play during day two, and pleased it followed through with its objectives going into the round.
“We said today was moving day and they went out there and took care of business,” said Briles-Hinton. “We played steady, and very well in this round. Whitney had a great day, she had six birdies today and putted well. Sandra backed her up with a 71 and down the line we did what we needed to do to get ourselves into contention.”
In the team standings, No. 3 and tournament-host Purdue sits in a tie with No. 9 Arkansas for second place, while No. 23 Oklahoma State holds fourth. No. 21 Kent State rounds out the top five in front of North Carolina, which sits in sixth.
“Tomorrow we need to go out, have fun and stay focused,” said Briles-Hinton. “They need to stay in the process and I'm confident this team can do it. There are a lot of great teams here and right now we're all kind of lumped together at the top. It's not going to be easy, whatever happens, happens, and hopefully we come out on top.”
The Lady Gators will look to hold their top placing in the final round Sunday, as action resumes with an 8 a.m. shot gun start at the Dorado Del Mar golf course. A final round recap and full results will be available at the conclusion of play at www.gatorzone.com.
Lady Gator Round Two Results
| Name | Round 1 | Round 2 | Total | Place | Rel. To Par |
| Whitney Myers | 73 | 69 | 142 | 3 | -2 |
| Sandra Gal | 77 | 71 | 148 | T8 | +4 |
| Ornella Jouven* | 76 | 73 | 149 | T16 | +5 |
| Brittany Nelson | 74 | 76 | 150 | T20 | +6 |
| Tiffany Chudy | 75 | 77 | 152 | T30 | +8 |
| Mallory Blackwelder | 77 | 76 | 153 | T34 | +9 |
* - Competing as an individual
Team Standings Following Round Two
| Name | Round 1 | Round 2 | Total | Rel. To Par |
| 1 Florida | 299 | 292 | 591 | +15 |
| T2 Arkansas | 298 | 294 | 592 | +16 |
| T2 Purdue | 295 | 297 | 592 | +16 |
| 4 Oklahoma State | 300 | 296 | 596 | +20 |
| 5 Kent State | 297 | 301 | 598 | +22 |
| 6 North Carolina | 301 | 303 | 604 | +28 |
| 7 Tulsa | 308 | 299 | 607 | +31 |
| 8 TCU | 307 | 301 | 608 | +32 |
| 9 Texas A&M | 309 | 302 | 611 | +35 |
| 10 South Carolina | 306 | 312 | 618 | +42 |
| 11 Oklahoma | 312 | 308 | 620 | +44 |
| 12 Wisconsin | 320 | 310 | 630 | +54 |
| 13 East Tennessee State | 319 | 316 | 635 | +59 |
| 14 Iowa State | 327 | 309 | 636 | +60 |
| 15 Indiana | 322 | 321 | 643 | +67 |
| 16 Minnesota | 328 | 329 | 656 | +80 |
-UF-
