The Chattanooga Mocs shot 300 to begin play at the Mason Rudolph Championships Friday. That puts the squad in 12th after 18 holes at the Vanderbilt Legends Club North Course. The Mocs are three shots behind the 9th-place trio of LSU, Georgia and Alabama, and two clear of Middle Tennessee in 12th.
Dorota Zalewska kept up her strong early season play. The senior shot 2-under 70 to open in a tie for seventh. She’s just two strokes out of the lead held by Megan Schofill (Auburn), Lynn Lim (Vanderbilt) and Nena Wongthanavimok (Arizona).
Her 70 was supported by Kera Healey’s 75.
Carolina Hortian added 76 followed by Megan Docherty’s 79. Beatriz Barrios had the drop score of 82.
“Today was ok…the conditions were tough with the wind, but we need five to play well and not just three,” Coach Colette Murray began. “I’m hoping tomorrow we can throw out a good number and play well as a whole team.”
The 2 under today was the sixth par or better score in six cards for Zalewska. Five of the six are under par, all 2 under or lower. That puts her at 10 under for her 126 holes. She was a tourney-low 3 under on the par 4s, which doubles her tally for the campaign to 6 under (3.90).
Arizona (282) is the first round leader by one over host Vanderbilt (283). Mississippi State (284) is another stroke back in third.
The Mocs start Saturday’s 18 at 9:45 a.m., Eastern time, on the 10th hole paired with UGA and the Crimson Tide. Barrios leads off followed in 10-minute intervals including Nieves Martin playing as an individual at 10:35 a.m.
Mason Rudolph Championships
Sept. 23-25 (Fri.-Sun) | 54 holes (18 per day)
Lineup
12th of 14: 300 (+12)
T7) Dorota Zalewska: 70 (-2)
T39) Kera Healey: 75 (+3)
T48) Carolina Hortian: 76 (+4)
T66) Megan Docherty: 79 (+7)
T74) Beatriz Barrios: 82 (+10)
78) Nieves Martin: 87 (+15)