Women’s Golf Plays Opening Round at 3M Augusta Invitational

Friday, March 11

Augusta, Ga.

9:30 a.m. (ET)

University of Memphis

3M Augusta Invitational

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Women’s Golf Plays Opening Round at 3M Augusta Invitational

Mar 11, 2016 | Women's Golf

Tiger to play 36 holes Saturday in attempt to beat weather.

By: Tammy DeGroff

MEMPHIS – Playing in a field that includes five nationally-ranked teams, the Memphis women's golf team wrapped up day one of the 3M Augusta Invitational at Forest Hills Golf Club with an opening round 315 (+27). Day two has now been changed to a 36-hole due to expected weather.

Memphis will head in to day two of the tournament on Saturday looking to make up some ground. Memphis is 11 strokes behind Illinois and Maryland, who are currently tied for 11^th in the 16 team field. Number 33 ranked Furman and East Tennessee State are tied for the team lead with opening day 290s, while No. 35 ranked East Carolina is third at 295. Florida State, the top ranked team in the field at No. 17, is currently sixth following a day one 299.

Furman's Alice Chen and Augusta's Jessica Haigwood lead the individual standings after both carded opening round 69s on the 6,246 yard course.

Junior Leighann Cabush leads Memphis following the first day of competition. Cabush, who was not slated to compete in this weekend's tournament until an injury suffered by teammate Madison Thomas, posted a first round 77 (+5) to lead the Tigers. Cabush scored par on all but five holes to finish her day +5.

Freshman Sydney Colwill had to recover from a triple bogey on her first hole, 10, but posted par on seven of the next eight holes to regain some momentum. She added bogeys on three, five and seven before putting one of just four birdies on a Memphis card. She finished +2 on the front nine holes and was +6 on the day to stand tied for 56^th through the first round.

Andrea Cropper ended day one tied for 73^rd overall after an opening round 80 (+8). After bogeys on six of the nine holes on the back side, Cropper cleaned things up on the front, with just three bogeys and a birdie to go +2 in her final nine holes.

Senior Julia Gerlach was the lone Memphis player to card two birdies on Friday. After a bogey on 10, her first hole, Gerlach birdied 13 and 15 and was at even par after her first six holes. But the front side was a bit more unkind to Gerlach, as she bogeyed five of the nine holes and doubled one to complete the first round with an 80 (+8) to tie with Cropper at 73^rd overall.

Senior Ashleigh Whisenant had a good start to her day, scoring par on the first five holes before back-to-back doubles moved her to +4, where she would finish her opening half. She would go +5 on her back nine to end the first round tied for 78^th overall with an 81.

With rain expected in the Augusta area on Sunday, the tournament officials have decided to play 36 holes on Saturday to try to get the tournament completed. The shotgun start will now go off at 8:30 a.m. (ET). The Memphis rounds will start among holes 12 through 16.