May 18, 2011
Live Scoring
BRYAN, Texas - Sophomore Amy Simanton posted two birdies and shot a team-best 1-over 73 on Wednesday at Traditions Golf Course as the No. 14 UC Davis women's golf team ended the first round of the NCAA Division I Championship in 23rd place.
The Aggies, making their second appearance in the national finals since turning Division I in 2008, carded a collective 25-over 313 score on Tuesday. Simanton led the way and is tied for 23rd place. Sophomore Demi Runas had a 78 and is tied for 79th and senior Alice Kim shot 79 and is tied for 95th.
Senior Chelsea Stelzmiller finished with an 83 and is 120th while freshman Jessica Chulya posted an 84 and is tied for 121st.
UC Davis, which finished tied for third at the NCAA West Regional two weeks ago in Washington, is just one shot behind 22nd-place Washington and four shots behind Stanford and Notre Dame which are tied for 20th at 308.
Second-ranked UCLA opened the 72-hole tournament with a 1-over 289 in the first round and has a two-shot lead over fifth-ranked Virginia (291). Defending national champion Purdue and seventh-ranked LSU are tied for third at 4-over 292.
Brittany Altomare of Virginia had seven birdies and took a one-shot lead in the individual standings after firing a 3-under 69. Michigan State's Carolina Powers, Michelle Shin of Wake Forest and Glory Yang of UCLA are all tied for second after carding rounds of 70.
Simanton paced UC Davis on the first day on collegiate women's golf's biggest stage, playing her front nine even after a birdie, seven pars and just one bogey. She was at 2 over later in her round but birdied the par-5 eighth hole to help bring her in with a 73.
Runas scrambled to 3-over 39 on her front nine, picking up two birdies along the way before matching that score of her final nine holes to shoot 78. Kim's birdie on the par-4 first hole highlighted her round and was part of a six-hole stretch which she played just one shot under par.
Stelzmiller was only 2 over through 12 holes but had just one par the rest of the way while Chulya's 5-over 41 on the back was two better than her front nine score.
The Aggies, in just their fourth year of Division I competition, are in the NCAA Finals for the second time, have advanced to the postseason for the third time and are capping a season in which they have risen to a program-best No. 14 ranking.
UC Davis will play with Arkansas and Coastal Carolina in Thursday's second round, teeing off at 6:55 a.m. (Pacific).
NCAA WOMEN'S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
Bryan, Texas (hosted by Texas A&M)
Traditions Golf Course
18 of 72 holes
TEAMS
1. UCLA, 289
2. Virginia, 291
T3. Purdue, 292
T3 LSU, 292
5. Florida, 294
6. Texas A&M, 295
7. Arizona State, 296
8. Vanderbilt, 297
9. Wake Forest, 298
10. Tennessee, 299
11. Alabama, 301
T12. USC, 302
T12. South Carolina, 302
14. Ohio State, 303
15. Arizona, 304
T16. Arkansas, 305
T16. Minnesota, 305
T16. North Carolina, 305
19. Cal, 306
T20. Stanford, 308
T20. Notre Dame, 308
22. Washington, 312
23. UC DAVIS, 313
24. Coastal Carolina, 322
INDIVIDUAL
1. Brittany Altomare, Virginia, 69
UC DAVIS
T23. Amy Simanton, 73
T79. Demi Runas, 78
T95. Alice Kim, 79
120. Chelsea Stelzmiller, 83
T121. Jessica Chulya, 84
